Forever Special
by ToonYoungster
Summary: There is never a dull moment for the Dex Holders. Even ten years from now, these fifteen young heroes are out living their lives, where a single day is anything but dull. [ ON HIATUS ]
1. GREEN and BLUE

**DISCLAIMER**: All rights to _Pokémon Special/Adventures_ belong to Hidenori Kusaka, Shōgakukan, The Pok_é_mon Company and all those who've worked hard to bring us this awesome manga. Keep up the good work _Mangakas_!

**SUMMARY**: There is never a dull moment for the Dex Holders. Even ten years from now, these fifteen young heroes are out living their lives, where a single day is anything but dull.

**RATING**: T for language, mild crude humor and SHIPPING!

**CHARACTER AGES**: Red (29), Green (29), Blue (30), Yellow (27), Gold (26), Silver (26), Crystal (26), Ruby (25), Sapphire (24), Emerald (24), Diamond (22), Pearl (22), Platinum (22), Black (21), White (21).

**TIME FRAME**: January 8th, 10 years later.

**A/N**: Seeing as how this manga series is totally underrated in the Pokémon fandom, I felt like showing my dedication to it by writing the first fanfic I've written since forever. To avoid any unwanted headscratching, I feel like I should shed some light on a couple of things.

Yes, I know that White isn't _really_ a Pokédex holder, but I'm going off the prediction that she'll become one in the not-so-near future. She, as well as the other Dex Holders, may seem a tad OCC, but that's mostly because they've matured in the last couple of years...except Gold.

The time period for this story is set ten years since the Platinum arc. All of the chapters, excluding the final one, will occur on the exact same day, but not necessarily at the same time. Nobody ever said their lives were gonna be easy.

Feel free to ask any questions in the reviews, and I'll answer them the best I can. Happy reading!

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong> - GREEN and BLUE

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><p><em><strong>(Celadon Department Store, Celadon City, Kanto Region)<strong>_

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_"3:17...only forty-three more minutes, then I can get the hell out of here_."

Green stared at his Pokégear, checking again to make sure the batteries hadn't died. He had only been waiting for a couple of minutes, but felt as if several hours had gone by. He knew it would have been useless to try to leave, what with an overseeing Wigglytuff standing right in front of him, but nonetheless, he felt the frustration build up.

"Relax, I'm not going anywhere," Green said, taking note of the Balloon Pokémon's stern face. "I'd rather lose a hundred gym battles in a row than deal with your trainer's incessant nagging".

Luckily for him, the trainer in mention had not heard him, as she had stepped out of the dressing room. She was wearing a slim, pink dress and had her long, brunette hair completely curled up.

"So...how do I look?" she asked, posing in front of him. "It's not too over-the-top now, is it?"

"It's okay," he answered, shrugging his shoulders.

The young woman was not amused. "Well, how about my hair? Should I keep it straight, or leave in some of the curls?"

"It's fine."

"Well, what about my shoes?" she snapped. "Maybe I should show up in Running Shoes, huh?"

"Maybe not."

The girl cupped her face in annoyance, and recalled her concerned Wiggytuff to it's Pokéball. "You are such a typical, arrogant _guy_, Green!" she groaned. "Would it kill you to say something encouraging every now and then?"

"Why bother?" Green said, smirking. "You'd look beautiful no matter what you'd wear, Blue."

Blue mentally slapped herself for falling into his trap, then playfully punched the Viridian Gym Leader's arm. "I hate you, you know that?"

"Can we go now?" Green asked, getting off the bench he was on. "I still have a gym battle appointed for today, and I really don't want to explain that my tardiness was due to shopping."

"Just cancel it when you get back," Blue answered, her back turned dismissively.

"You know very well I can't do that. Doing such a thing could get me a demerit."

The Evolver grinned to herself before turning to face him. She then proceeded to put on her trademark "damsel-in-distress" routine. "Oh, I'm so sorry, honey," she whimpered, her eyes already filled with tears. "I didn't realize that your duties as a Gym Leader were much more important than your friend's happiness. If you want to head back to the gym, then go ahead. I'm sure I can manage everything by myself."

Blue dramatically ran up to her husband and held him in a tight embrace, sobbing all over his shoulder. Green, who was used to her antics, rolled his eyes as she continued the façade. Once she let go, he made a reach for his shopping bags. "See ya."

It couldn't have been more than five minutes by the time Green had returned, and Blue had finished changing back into her usual attire. She gave him a cute smile, apparently not noticing the Viridian Gym Leader was glaring at her with his arms crossed.

"Alright," Green demanded. "Where is it?"

"What ever do you mean?" the Kanto woman asked very innocently.

"Don't give me any crap, Blue! Now _where_ is my Charizard?"

Blue giggled as she reached for a Pokéball from inside her messenger bag. "Oh, you mean _this _Charizard? You really should be more careful with your bag, Green. Somebody could just unbuckle it, and take your Pokémon when you're not looking."

She let out another round of giggles, which did nothing to soften Green's face. "So...," Green droned. "I'm not getting out of this, am I?"

"Nope."

The Trainer sighed in defeat, and grabbed Blue's shopping bags. "I guess I can take a vacation day."

"Good!" his wife beamed. "Now come on, we've still got to pick up the corsages!"

The path to the accessories department was only two floors above their current location, so they didn't have to walk too far to get there. Their time was greatly reduced, however, as the two Dex Holders were besieged by trainers, trying to get photos and autographs. The couple made their way through, with Green politely declining their requests. Blue on the other hand, took every chance she got to take pictures and sign merchandise, much to her husband's chagrin.

"Blue, quit fooling around," Green grumbled. "May I remind you that Silver is expecting us in an hour?"

"Relax, Spiky" Blue retorted. "The boutique is right over there."

Sure enough, the store they were looking for was right in front of their eyes. As the couple stepped inside, they noticed that the interior, albeit small, was beautifully arranged. The walls were as white as snow, and the shelves were stocked with the most gorgeous outfits they've ever seen. The whole place was no doubt of high class. Behind the counter was a rather effeminate looking man with lavender hair dusting off some of the displays.

"Why hello there," he beamed. "Can I help you folks with something?"

"Actually, yes," Blue answered, walking over to the counter. "We're here to pick up an order I placed last week. A set of Sinnoh corsages, for Blue Oak?"

"Well, you're in luck, because they just came in about in hour ago," the salesman replied, pulling out a fairly large black box from behind the counter. "Here you go, ma'am: a deluxe set of corsages, imported straight from Sinnoh's Pick a Peck of Colors Flower Shop."

The Kanto woman peered inside the box in wonder. "Oh, wow!" she gushed. "These were made with real Gracedia petals, am I right?'

"You bet you're sweet ninny they are!" he said proudly, then recoiled at Green's disapproving stare.

"So, how much is this gonna cost us?" the Viridian Gym Leader asked skeptically.

"Well, with shipping and handling, and with Gracedia flowers being out of season, the total cost should be..." The clerk paused, counting off his fingers. "5,000 Pokédollars."

"5,000 Pokédollars?" Blue proclaimed, gawking at the man. "That fives time more than I was charged for!"

"Well with the recent snowfall in Floaroma Town, supplies have become very limited, and there's been a high demand for Gracedia goods, what with it being close to Valentine's Day."

"That is total bull," Green protested, surprising both Blue and the clerk. "Floaroma is an all-spring town that hasn't had a snowfall in ages, so don't even try to play us for idiots."

The two males were now glaring so close to each other that their noses almost touched. Blue quickly pulled her husband away by the arm, fearing that a fight would break out. She then turned to the clerk with sympathetic eyes.

"Sir," she began confidently, "I'm sure that the two of us can reach an understanding. You see, when I placed the order last week, I was told that the price would not exceed 1,000 Pokédollars."

"Last week, I didn't have two Dex Holders in my store." he said smugly. Blue tried to her best to not kick him between the legs, and instead, forced a smiled on her face.

"Fair enough," she said very cheerfully. "Would you mind holding on to it a while longer. I'm afraid we're a bit short on cash right now, so we'll have to stop by the ATM and pick up some extra money." The lie traveled smoothly through her lips, and judging by the worker's softened face, he had bought it.

"Not a problem, darling," he said coyly, earning another glare from Green. "I'd be happy to hold on to such an extravagant gift for such an extravagant lady."

"Thank you so much, sir," Blue responded, winking playfully. "We'll be back as soon as we can, so don't you go anywhere."

She and Green then made their way out the door, walking as casually as possible. Once they were outside, the couple walked a few more steps so that they were out of sight from the store. Once they were certain the clerk could not see them, the two Dex Holders smiled at each other knowingly.

"What's the plan, Blue?" Green asked, raising an eyebrow. The Kanto woman smirked as she pulled out her Pokégear out of her bag.

"You'll see."

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><p><em>30 minutes later...<em>

Back in the boutique, the clerk was very busy wiping the top of his counter with a washcloth. He was so engrossed in the cleanliness of his store, that he almost didn't notice someone come inside. The door's ringing bell snapped him out of his work, and the employee looked up to see a rather strange looking man walking towards the counter. The mysterious customer was wearing a large trench coat, had dark sunglasses, a scarf around his mouth, and was sporting a brown fedora. The clerk also noticed that he had arms in his coat pockets, and was facing down the whole time.

"Um, can I help you with something sir?" the worker asked cautiously. The strange man didn't respond.

"S-sir?" he repeated, starting to become frightened. This time the customer did respond, and in the blink of an eye, the clerk now had a pistol pointed straight at his face.

"This here is a stick up!" the gun-wielder yelled in deep, gruff voice. "Now, gimme all the money ya got!"

The clerk shakily reached for the cashier, his eyes never leaving the gun. He fumbled through the cash inside and quickly began stuffing the money in a large bag he had laying behind the counter. When he finished, the terrified worker tried to hand over the bag, but it only made the gunman press the weapon against his forehead.

"The box, too!" he demanded, eying the black container sitting next to the register. "'Ah want the box, too!"

The clerk didn't think twice as he immediately reached for the box of corsages, and stuffed it in the bag with the money. The crook snatched the bag from him with his free hand, then ran as fast as he could out the door. The salesman ran after him, yelling to get somebody's attention.

"HELP! ROBBER!" the clerk cried, as he chased down the thief. Unfortunately, his legs gave out and he collapsed the ground, unable to keep going. The clerk panted as he watched the thief in front of him disappear from his sight. As he tried to call out for help, he was surprised to see Blue and Green running up to him from the side.

"Are you alright, sir?" Green asked, helping him up.

"Robber..went that way...stop him!" the salesman huffed, pointing straight ahead.

"Don't worry," Blue assured, pulling out a Pokéball. "Go, Abra!" She threw the Pokéball in the air, releasing the small, psychic Pokémon. Blue grabbed her husband's hand, who was holding up the fallen employee by the arm.

"Abra, use Teleport!" the Evolver commanded. Her Abra's eyes glowed white, then held up its hands. It and the three humans were immediately covered in a clear veil, causing them all to disappear in a flash of light.

Meanwhile, the thief was making his way to the department store's front entrance. He was only a couple of feet from the door when he came face to face with a blinding light. When the light dissipated, the crook froze at the sight of three human beings and Pokémon blocking his only exit.

"I'd be running if I were you," Green said, with a Pokéball in his hand. Taking his advice, the thief attempted to backtrack, but didn't make it far when a tall, red Pokémon with huge pincers appeared right in front of him.

"Easy now," the robber whimpered. "'Ah ain't here to cause any trouble!"

"Too late," the Trainer answered. "Scizor, cut the bag open with Slash!"

The Pincer Pokémon clenched its claws, then attacked the bag with a series of graceful slices, instantly tearing the bag to shreds. The money inside was left flying all around the store, panicking the robber.

"Abra, use Psychic!" Blue quickly ordered. The telekinetic Pokémon levitated off the ground, surrounded in a bright light. Abra's eyes glowed blue, and every single dollar and coin was now being held up in midair. The black box remained completely unscathed, landing safely in the clerk's hands.

The empty handed thief stood motionless, frozen in fear. Unable to grasp the current situation he was in, he bolted desperately in the opposite direction of his captors. Realizing the man was trying to make his getaway, Green calmly raised his hand in the air.

"Scizor, Bullet Punch!" by the time the criminal had heard Green call out the move, the bug/steel type had already made contact. Feeling the full force of the high-speed attack on his legs, the much slower man toppled over in a heap, face first on the ground. The crook moaned in pain, then yelped in surprise as he felt himself being lifted up by his arms. Blue's Scizor had him trapped in a hold, his arms forced against his body. The man struggled to break himself free, but failed miserably as the Pincer Pokémon carried him over to its trainer.

"You have a lot of nerve," Green hissed, glaring right into the man's eyes. "A lot of good, honest people work to make this place safe for trainers, and you have the audacity to just take that away from them? Absolutely sick."

"Have mercy!" the criminal blurted, sweating profusely. "'Ah surrender; just don't hurt me, _please_!"

"Let him go, Green," Blue said, stepping up with her arms crossed. "I don't think this scumbag wants to see what will happen when we _don't_ go easy on him."

"Y-Yeah! What the lady said!"

The Viridian Gym Leader stared at the man for few seconds, then cocked his head towards his Pokémon, signaling it to release him. Scizor nodded back and withdrew its grip, causing the defeated criminal to land painfully on the ground below him. The man scrambled to get back on his feet, then ran awkwardly as fast as he could out the front door, whimpering all the while.

With the danger finally over, everybody in the store broke out in wild cheers and applause for the two Dex holders. Green modestly gave a small wave to the shoppers, while Blue bowed as if she had given them a performance. Once the cheering died down, the couple walked over to the clerk, realizing that he was still visibly shaken by the ordeal.

"You alright, man?" asked Green, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Y-Yeah...I think so," the salesman answered, his breathing finally slowing down. "I thought was going to die back there."

"Well, you're safe now," said the Evolver, giving a reassuring smile. "I don't think that robber will be giving you anymore trouble."

"I-I honestly can't thank you two enough."

"It's really not necessary," Green responded.

"No, really!" the clerk insisted. "I owe it to you for saving my life. If there's _anything_ I can do, please say so."

"_Well..._" Blue said in a sing-song voice. "Now that you mention it..." The Kanto woman stared longingly at the black box, then stared back at the clerk.

"Oh, of course!" The salesman gently handed her the box, then spoke in his professional, flamboyant voice. "A deluxe set of beautiful, Sinnoh-imported corsages, absolutely free of charge!"

"Oh my! We couldn't possibly-"

"No, no! I won't hear of it!" the man interrupted. "Consider it a token of my appreciation, as well as an apology for my disgraceful behavior from before."

"Thank you so much, sir." said Blue, bowing gratuitously.

"No...thank _you,_ Mrs. Oak," the clerk said, bowing back. "Now if you'll excuse me, I should really be heading back to my store. Who knows what sort of filth that scoundrel brought into my boutique!"

"Sounds tragic," Green muttered.

After thanking them for the final time, the store clerk made his way back to the shop. The two Dex Holders stayed put, waiting until he was out sight before heading out the front door. The moment they stepped outside, Blue and Green looked back to make sure no one had followed them out. When it was clear that they were alone, Blue called out towards the side of the building, seemingly at no one.

"Okay, you can come out now!" As if he had heard her, the disguised criminal appeared from around the corner, carrying the gun and limping towards the Dex holders.

"Great job back there, Ditty!" the Kanto woman acclaimed. "You too, Bill."

The pistol in the man's hand rearranged itself until it toke the form of a very happy Ditto. The Transform Pokémon jumped into its trainer's arms, glad it had successfully done its task. The man in disguise, however, was far from happy.

"What the hell, Blue?" the man yelled, pulling off his hat and sunglasses, revealing a very agitated scientist. "Ya'll didn't say nothin' 'bout getting by ass kicked during the plan!"

"It was circumstantial," Blue replied casually. "And besides, it wouldn't have looked real if we went easy on you."

"Yeah, well ya didn't have to go an' nearly chop off my legs!" The curly-haired scientist rubbed his legs in pain, still glaring at Blue.

"Sorry about that," Green said apologetically. "I didn't think Bullet Punch would do a lot at only 40 base power."

"Aw, forget 'bout it," Bill grumbled, which he followed by holding out his hand. "Just gimme back the Pokétransfer installation drive you stole like ya promised."

"No problem," said Blue. She pulled out a small flash drive from out of her messenger bag and handed it to the scientist. "It was taking up too much space, anyway."

The inventor sighed and shook his head in disbelief at the married Pokédex Holders. "Honestly, Green, 'Ah don't know how ya put up with her."

"You learn a few things," Green answered, grinning at his wife.

"After ten years, 'Ah don't think so," Bill chuckled. He then pulled out Pokéball from inside of his pocket. "Anyway, 'Ah really should get goin'. 'Ah've got a lotta things to take care of before the big day, ya know?"

"Tell me about," Blue agreed. "Be sure to say 'Hi' to Daisy for us!"

Bill nodded embarrassingly and tossed the Pokéball in the air, releasing his aerial transportation Pokémon, Farfetch'd. He then grabbed on to the Pokémon's legs, telling it to take him back to his Sea Cottage. As the Wild Duck Pokémon flew off with the inventor, Bill waved good-bye to his friends, who waved back as he disappeared into the sky. Green and Blue started to walk back into the store when the Evolver suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"Damn it!" Blue cursed to herself. She frantically pulled out her Pokégear while Green simply stared her with a confused look on his face.

"Something wrong?," Green asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Big time! I'm supposed to meet up with Silver in less than twenty minutes!" The Kanto woman stared hard at the time displayed on her device, then dropped her head in despair. "What am I going to do? Silver's waiting for me, but we've still got errands to run!"

"Didn't I tell you this scheme would take up too much time?" her husband chided.

"Shut up."

Green pondered for a moment before sighing heavily. He knew Blue couldn't blow off her adopted brother, but at the same time, it was imperative that they complete their errands as soon has possible. "Tell you what," he said reluctantly. "Go to Silver. I'll finish up by myself."

"Really?" Blue looked at her husband in surprise, then pointed her finger at him. "Don't you tease me Green Oak!"

"Silver needs you to be with him Blue, and the rest of these errands aren't going to finish themselves. It's only logical that I do them while you go on ahead."

Blue wrapped her arms tight around her husband, then pressed her lips long and hard against his. "Thanks so much, babe!" The Kanto woman said, coming up for air. She then starting fishing through her bag again. "Here, let me give you back your Charizard so you'll have a ride ho-"

"You mean _this_ Charizard?" Green interrupted, smirking and spinning a Pokéball on his finger.

Blue's jaw nearly fell off her face, realizing that her husband had somehow taken back the Pokémon she stole from him. She pointed at the Pokéball, then at herself, unable to make any sense of what she was seeing. "But...how did..you...?"

"Like I said, 'I learned a few things'."

"Ho ho ho!" she chuckled, crossing her arms approvingly. "Impressive! I've gotta start watching my back around you, Mr. Oak."

She took out her list of errands to complete and handed it to Green. The Dexholder then threw a Pokéball in the air releasing her partner Pokémon, Wiggly. The Balloon Pokémon took a large breath and began expanding its body. Blue got on its head, and in the no time was she high in the sky ready to take off.

"Just one more thing, Green," she yelled down to her husband. "Just when exactly did you take your Charizard back?"

The Trainer hesitated, expecting this. "I took it back while we were in the boutique."

Blue smiled softly, resting her hand against her cheek. _"You're quite the guy, Green Oak."_

In only a matter of seconds, Blue had disappeared from sight, leaving Green standing alone in front of the main entrance. After a moment of silence, the Viridian Gym Leader walked back inside the Department Store. He skimmed through the rest of the tasks on Blue's list, and frowned at the next item that needed to be completed.

**#4. Schedule an appointment to have Green's hair styled the same look as seen on the 2012 cover of PokéChic magazine. Pay with his credit card.**

Green groaned as he stuffed the list back in his pocket, and headed off to the nearest magazine department. _"Pesky girl."_

_**To Be Continued...**_

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><p>...<p>

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...

**NEXT TIME**: Gold looked back and forth between the two Pokémon, sweat dripping off of his forehead. "How the hell am I gonna explain _this_ to Crys?"


	2. GOLD

**DISCLAIMER**: All rights to _Pokémon Special/Adventures_ belong to Hidenori Kusaka, Shōgakukan, The Pok_é_mon Company and all those who've worked hard to bring us this awesome manga. When the hell is the next volume coming out?

**RATING**: T for language, mild crude humor and SHIPPING!

**CHARACTER AGES**: Red (29), Green (29), Blue (30), Yellow (27), Gold (26), Silver (26), Crystal (26), Ruby (25), Sapphire (24), Emerald (24), Diamond (22), Pearl (22), Platinum (22), Black (21), White (21).

**TIME FRAME**: January 8th, 10 years later.

**A/N**: The first chapter was a real pleasure to write, but with college scholarships, final exams, and basically having a teenage life, I don't have as much time to work on this as I'd like. Don't get me wrong; I'm definitely **NOT** going to give up on this story. I'm too big of a Pokémon fan to do that. Be sure to lend support by leaving reviews, telling your friends, and being the best PokéSpe fan you can be!

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong> - GOLD

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><p><em><strong><em>(Pokémon<em> Day Care, Route 34, Johto Region)**_

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"Gold! Get the door will you? I'm on the phone!"

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"Gold! The door!"

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_"GOLD!"_

"You rang?"

The answerer came rushing inside as fast as his skateboard would take him. The Day-Care Man took one look at the him and frowned. His assistant was covered head to toe in dirt, his clothes were tattered, and his hair was completely disheveled. The man looked as though he had just fought off an Ursaring, and that's probably what he would tell everybody. Despite his train wreak appearance, the man was grinning ear to ear, as if nothing had happened.

"Get the door, you nut!"

"Sure thing, old man." The Johto Man left the living room and made his way to the front entrance of the Day Care Center. He turned the knob and opened the door to find a pleasant sight standing before him. A young man no older than himself, along with a Raticate, was at the front door carrying a large knapsack. Gold instantly recognized him by the man's rather distasteful pair of shorts.

"Joey!" Gold exclaimed, wrapping his arm around man's neck. "What's up, bro?" Joey winced when the dirt on Gold's arm caused him to sneeze his way out the embrace. He dusted off his shorts and gave a forced smile at his so-called "friend".

"Hey, Gold" Joey greeted halfheartedly. "Do you know if the the Day-Care Lady is here right now?"

"She went out for her afternoon jog." he replied, not really listening to him. He was far more interested in the contents of Joey's bag. "Did my order come in yet?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Joey said, rolling his eyes. He reached in his back and pulled out an envelope, as well as the latest issue of _Oak Monthly: The Hottest News in _Pokémon_ Physiology. _"You seriously bought this magazine _just_ for a one inch photo of DJ Mary?"

"Damn straight! I need a skin for my new C-gear!"

The errand boy sighed, then handed his mischievous friend his mail. "By the way, your invitation came in too. Whoever made it really went all out. They actually scented it with Roselia perfume""

"It was probably Senior Blue. She and Senior Green are pretty much doing all the arrangements."

Joey nodded, which was followed by a slight pause as he noticed the mess on the Dex Holder's clothes. "I probably shouldn't ask, but what the hell have you been doing?"

"Oh, well, you know." Gold began, flexing his bicep. "One of the Ursaring here was causing some trouble, so I decided to rough him up a bit." The Johto Man chuckled to himself, but the disbelieving look he was receiving told him Joey didn't buy it. "Okay, I was grinding by the mountain habitat when I skidded on a rock and landed in pile of manure."

"Aw man, that's nasty!" The shorts fanatic backed away slowly, holding his nose in disgust. "Next time, take a freakin' shower before you start answering doors!"

The Dex Holder laughed as Joey ran away, trying to get away from the putrid stench as fast as he could. Satisfied, Gold closed the door and threw his mail on the counter top. He grabbed his skateboard and ran towards the back entrance to finish his chores. Before he made it past the door though, he heard something behind him that caught his attention.

_"So how long will it be before she's out of the hospital?_"

Gold curiously peered his head into the living room, realizing that his boss was still talking on the phone. The Day-Care Man was listening intently to whoever was on the other line, and his face was plastered with a mix of annoyance and relief.

_"Okay, that's fine...yes...uh-huh...Thank you, sir. Have a good one."_

The elderly man hung up the phone and plopped himself on the couch. He rubbed his temples and heaved a big sigh in frustration. He failed to notice that Gold had made himself visible, and was now walking up to him.

"Hey old man, what was that all about?" Gold asked, taking a seat on couch next to him.

"Hmm?" Day-Care Man mumbled, before looking back at him. "Oh Gold, I'm sorry. I just got a call from the Goldenrod Mercy Hospital. My wife's been in an accident."

"Say what?"

"Well, _caused _an accident." he corrected. "You see, this Roughneck lady creeped up on her during her jog and my wife kicked her in the, um...hoochie." Gold stared blankly at his employer, then after a slight pause, widened his eyes knowingly.

"Damn, I knew the old lady was a badass, but I didn't know she could 'bust someone to the ER," the Dex holder laughed.

"Well, it turns out the Roughneck only wanted to ask for the time," continued the Day-Care Man. "Now my wife's being held down at the station where I'll have to sign her out. Problem is, it'll take me a few hours to do so, and I don't have anybody else to manage the Day Care while I'm gone."

"I'll do it!" Gold proclaimed, springing up in excitement. The small, old man stared uneasily at the Johto Dex Holder's cheeky smile.

"Absolutely not." the Day-Care Man declared. "You have no experience whatsoever in running a Pokémon Day Care."

"Are are kidding?" The goggled-man pointed directly to himself. "Have you forgotten that I'm Gold?, AKA: "The Breeder", AKA: You won't find anyone better than me?"

"There's more to managing a Daycare than breeding Pokémon, Gold. You have to run daily health inspections, answer the door to trainers...clean up the manure." There was a clear emphasis in the man's voice on that last one.

"All minor details." Gold argued. "Trust me, sir. No one knows more about caring for Pokémon than I do. Just let me have this, please?"

The Day-Care man remained silent for a good long moment before he stood back up. "Very well, Gold." he sighed. "I really don't have any other options, and it'll only be for a couple of hours anyway."

"Sweet! I promise, I won't screw this up." Gold put a comforting hand on the old man's shoulder. "You just focus on getting the old lady out of the big house, and I'll take care of everything over here."

"Alrighty then," The Day-Care Man pulled out a small piece of paper out of his pocket. "Here's a copy of my work schedule for the day. It has all the things you need to take care of while I'm gone."

"Yeah, yeah," the Johto Man replied hastily. He grabbed the sheet of paper and started pushing his employer towards the door. "I can handle it."

"Make sure you feed the dragon-types' their afternoon snack. They tend to get fussy when hungry."

"Mh-hm."

"You also have to replace that old fence down by the ranch division."

"Gotcha."

"And don't forget to return Crystal's Megaree to her house by the time she gets back home from Unova tonight."

"Yuh-huh."

"Did you even hear a word I just said?" The irritated, elderly man was now standing outside of the building.

"Sure I did!" Gold said indignantly. "Give the dragon-types' their Unova fence by the time Crystal gets back from the ranch. I've got everything under control. Say 'Hi' to the old lady for me!"

The Day-Care Man opened his mouth again to reply only to have the door slammed in his face. After an awkward moment of silence, the little old man dropped his head in regret and nervously walked up the path on Route 34. He paused briefly and looked back at his beloved Day Care.

"Don't let me down, ol' boy." The Day-Care Man sighed and slowly trekked up for Goldenrod City.

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><p>"Alright gang, lets do this!"<p>

Back outside, Gold's team of Pokémon cheered in approval, ready to get to work. The Breeder smiled confidently and pulled out his pool cue. He directed it towards his Ambipom and Sudowoodo, using it like a pointing stick.

"Polibo, Togebo, you guys go over to the pantry and give the dragon-type Pokémon their afternoon snack." The Frog and Jubilee Pokémon nodded happily and headed off towards the food storage.

"Aibo, Sudobo, get to work on fixing up that old fence down by the ranch." The Human-shaped Pokémon saluted their trainer and scurried away to get some supplies.

"And Exbo and Sunbo, the two of you are in charge of keeping Crys's Megaree safe and comfortable. He's been pretty down since Super Serious Gal left, plus he's never been in a Day Care before. Crys would be all over my ass if I took returned him looking all mopey." Exbo grunted understandingly and dashed off to find its friend, with Sunbo following close behind.

With the troops dispersed, Gold headed back into the Daycare, as he had more important matters to tend to. The Johto Man jumped over the countertop and grabbed his mail, along with a pair of scissors. He laid himself on top of the living room sofa and starting flipping through his new magazine.

"There you are!" he chuckled, finding the page he was looking for. "Looking smokin' hot as always."

The googled-man was just about to snip away at DJ Mary's photo when a loud ringing interrupted him. Gold groaned out loud and reluctantly trudged over to the main lobby.

"Excuse me?" asked a slim, petite woman with incredibly long blonde hair, ringing the desk bell. "Is anybody here?"

"Yeah, yeah, whadda 'ya wa-" Gold's eyes widened at sight of the lady at the front desk. He straightened himself out and strutted over to the young woman, laying his arm coolly on the desktop.

"Hey, babe. What can I do you for?" The Dex Holder arched his eyebrow seductively, which only served to make the young lady feel uncomfortable.

"Uh...yes. I'm here to pick up the Pokémon I left here two days ago. A Skitty and a Wailord for a Caitlin."

"Never fear, m'lady, for I, Gold, shall return shortly with your Pokémon and will ease your distress!" He took her by the hand and gave it a light kiss. Caitlin immediately recoiled her hand, repulsed by his lewd behavior and narrowed her lazy eyes at him.

"I suggest that you do not do that again." As she spoke, the young woman's eyes glowed a dark pink, and her hair began to rise into he air. Gold became unnerved by the sudden change in the woman's appearance, and slowly backed away from her.

"Y-yes ma'am. B-Be back in a jiff!" The Breeder ran as fast as he could to the backyard, trying not to look back at the strange woman. Once outside, he stopped in the middle of an open field and looked around frantically.

"Okay, okay," Gold told himself. "Skitty typically stay in the fields while Wailord usually reside by the ocean. If I can just find way to-"

_"Toge, Toge!"_

Gold turned to the direction of the chirping, and was surprised to see his Togekiss flying above him, spinning in circles. It only took him a couple a seconds to understand that the Jubilee Pokémon wanted him to follow it. The Dex Holder hopped on his Flying-type and they jetted across the Day Care. Once they arrived at the dragons' habitat, Gold landed on the ground and nearly keeled over at what he saw.

"What in the name of Arceus is going on here?"

The entire area was totally massacred. The grounded dragon-types, such as Bagons and Gibles were slamming into each other in distress, tearing up the ground beneath them. Overhead, the Dragonairs, Altarias, and a Salamence were aimlessly releasing their Hyper Beams, instantly destroying anything in its path. In the landfill, Polibo was trying desperately to stop the Vibrava from creating another Sandstorm.

"Togebo, what did you guys do?" Gold asked fearfully. At the sound of its trainer's voice, Polibo bounced out of the landfill and handed its trainer an empty brown bag that was laying nearby.

"Oh crap!" The Johto Man stared wide-eyed at the symbol printed on bag. "You two fed them the food meant for Ice-types!"

Togebo and Polibo lowered their heads, ashamed of their mistake. Gold went in close to comfort them, but a loud explosion had caught all three of their attention. An enraged Dragonite was bellowing in air, a tree tumbling straight down right behind it. The goggled-man instinctively whipped out his pool cue and got into a battle stance.

"Time for action!" Gold proclaimed. "Togebo, use Double-Edge on that Dragonite!"

Togebo charged for the roaring dragon, gaining speed and fiercely slamming its body against the Dragonite. The orange Pokémon cried out in pain, but quickly recovered from the impact. While Togebo was staggering from the recoil damage, Dragonite clenched its claw until it was glowing blue, and delusionally threw a wild Dragon Claw at Togebo's face, knocking it straight into the ground.

"You okay, Togebo?" The Flying-type got up and grinned wildly at its trainer, signaling it was just fine. "Let's go for broke! Use Metronome!"

_"Toge..Toge...Toge..Toge.." _The mischievous Pokémon flew back into the air and began waving its wings back in forth. After a couple of seconds, its wingtips flashed a bright light, and out of the blue, a controlled whirling fire was now engulfing the Dragonite, preventing it from moving.

"Yes, Fire Spin!" Gold pointed with his pool cue and turned to his Politoed. "Quick, Polibo, while we got the chance, jump onto Togebo and use Hypnosis!"

The Frog Pokémon launched itself high into the air and landed on top of Togebo's back. The two then advanced towards the raging Dragon-type until they were close enough to attack. Polibo focused the psychic power emanating from its body, and directed the hypnotic waves against the Dragonite. The rampaging Pokémon was unable to stay airborne, and in seconds, was laying on the ground completely unconscious.

"Awesome job, guys!" The Dex Holder patted his Pokémon appreciatively. "Now let's take care of those other dragons! Polibo, Whirlpool!"

_"Poli...toed!" _Polibo bounced into the center of the terrain and raised its arms in the air. The air surrounding it started to condense, and a spiraling wave of water was soon submerging the entire field. The grounded Dragon-types were immediately caught in the vortex, followed by the aerial dragons that couldn't fly away fast enough to escape.

"Quick, Togebo! Now use your Air Sla-"

Gold's command was cut off when seemingly out of nowhere, a herd of Tauros, Miltank and a Bouffalant came charging into the area. The stampede of Pokémon ran straight into Polibo, knocking it away and ending the Whirlpool attack. The Dragon-types, now soaking wet, were angrier than ever, and furiously launched their attacks against the herd.

"Where the hell did those guys come from?" asked Gold, dumbfounded. He got his answer when from his right, Aibo and Sudobo were rushing over to him in a panic. "Let me guess...you guys screwed up the repair?"

The two guilty Pokémon smiled sheepishly, and their hot-headed trainer surprised them by smiling back. "Don't sweat it guys. It's my fault for being such a half-ass trainer. I left you guys to do all the work that I should have done myself. Some breeder, huh?"

_"Ambi!" _The Long Tail Pokémon crossed its arms disapprovingly, and Gold instantly got the message.

"You're right," Gold chuckled. "Sentimentality doesn't suit my image. C'mon! I've got a plan!"

The four Pokémon raced across the Day Care, with Gold riding on Togebo's back. The stampede hadn't gotten far, so they easily managed to keep up behind them. Unfortunately, the herd of Pokémon were much faster, making it impossible for Gold's team to reach them.

"We've got to find a way to get ahead of them!" Gold exclaimed. "Aibo, use your Agility to get closer!"

The bi-tailed Pokémon eased forward and increased its speed, allowing it come up to the stampede from the side.

"Now, use Baton Pass to switch in Sudobo!" Aibo leaped backward and tagged Sudobo with its tails, passing on its stat changes. The Imitation Pokémon moved in at triple the speed it was going, and easily overtook the stampede.

"Okay, Sudobo. Sweet Scent!" The Rock-type gracefully shook its hands, releasing a fragrant aroma that flowed throughout the whole area. The Normal-types and Dragon-types were overwhelmed by the attack, and any animosity among them was lost in the need to indulge in the soothing scent.

"Hehe," Gold laughed, jumping off of Togebo. "It's a good thing I had Sweet Scent Mimicked from one of the Grass-type Pokémon here."

The Johto Man's team grunted in approval and gathered around their trainer, who was walking up to the herd. "Alright boys," Gold instructed. "We've got work to do."

The next couple of hours were absolutely brutal for The Breeder. Sudobo led the captivated Tauros, Miltank, and Bouffalant back to the ranch, where it and Gold worked to repair the fence that had gotten totally destroyed. Polibo used its Hypnosis to put the escaped Dragon-types to sleep, and Aibo and Togebo carried them back to their habitat. To make sure that another rampage wouldn't arise, Gold brought out their (late) afternoon snack, which the dragons could eat when they woke up. Once they were finished, the Johto Dex Holder ran desperately around the Day Care, having forgotten that Caitlin was still waiting for her Pokémon. He found her Skitty and Wailord playing by the waterside, and brought them back to the front desk, where Caitlin surprisingly hadn't left.

"Here you go, miss." Gold handed her two Pokéballs, then turned his nose up haughtily. "I told 'ya it I'd be back in a jiff."

"Liar." Caitlin mumbled. She paid the Dex Holder the labor fee and without another word, walked out the front door. The moment she was gone, the goggled-man heaved a tired sigh and plopped himself back on the living room couch. He only got thirty seconds of rest when the door suddenly opened up again.

"Gold, we're back." answered the Day-Care Man, walking inside with his wife.

"Huh? Oh, hey guys." Gold responded, slowly getting back up. "How'd it go back at the station, old lady?"

"Aw, it was nuthin'!" the Day-Care Woman boasted. 'I just gave the cops a peek at my "Love Balls", and I was out of there in no time!"

"You were placed on community service for a week _and _got blacklisted for sexual harassment." her husband groaned.

"All minor details," she retorted. "So Gold, how was it running the Daycare Center all by yourself?"

"There was nothing to it," the Johto Man replied casually. "I had everything under control, just like I said."

"Well, I for one am glad to here that," said the Day-Care Man. "Anyway, I think its time you went home and got some rest."

"I here ya."

"Just don't forget to drop off Crystal's Megaree on the way."

The Breeder froze, and chuckled nervously. He did an one-hundred and eighty degree turn and bolted for the backyard.

Back on the Day Care grounds, Gold cupped his hands over his mouth and called out for his Pokémon. "Hey Aibo, Exbo, Sudobo, Togebo, Sunbo, Polibo! We gotta go! You too Megaree!"

One by one, Gold's Pokémon came rushing back to their trainer, and the Johto Man did a quick mental count before stopping at his Typhlosion.

"Yo, Exbo. Where's Sunbo and Megaree?" The Volcano Pokémon grunted and pointed towards a small hill right behind it. Just coming up said hill was Gold's Sunflora and Crystal's Meganium, who were proceeding towards the gang at an almost cautiously pace.

Where have you guys been?" Gold asked, running up to them with his Pokémon in tow. "We've got to get Megaree back to Super Serious-_IS THAT WHAT I THINK IT IS_?"

Sunbo happily nodded and opened up its arms, revealing a light yellow egg patterned with green leaves. Gold's team stared at the egg in awe and cried out excitedly to the two Grass-types. The Johto Man instead let his jaw drop as he stared disbelieving at the Pokémon egg. He quickly recovered from the shock and gave his Sunflora a caring smile.

"Damn, Sunbo. I didn't know you had it in you, girl." Sunbo blushed and turned her face away, embarrassed. Megaree nuzzled the Sunflower Pokémon's face affectionately, and Gold gave a wholehearted laugh. "You know what, Megaree? I never would of thought one of Crys' Pokémon would have the guts to-"

"Aw crap!" Gold looked back and forth between the two Pokémon, sweat dripping off of his forehead. "How the hell am I gonna explain _this_ to Crys?"

The seven Pokémon watched helplessly as the Johto Dex Holder was running through several ideas in his head. After shooting down each one, he gave up and took out his Pokéballs. "Aw, forget it!" he assured himself. "I'll just go with the usual plan."

Trusting that its trainer would take care of its child, Sunbo handed Gold its unhatched egg. Gold then returned all of them back to their Pokéballs, and ran back into the Daycare as fast as he could (without dropping the egg, of course). He swerved past the living room to retrieve his skateboard, and rode past the Day-Care Man as he headed out the front door.

"Later, old man. I gotta prepare myself when Crystal shows up and I show her the Pokémon egg that Sunbo and Megaree produced!"

"Wha?"

Gold didn't answer back, as he was already riding down Route 34 by the time the Day-Care Man realized he was gone. Every minute that went by just made Gold more determined to reach Violet City. Normally Gold would've flown on Togebo to get there, but he didn't want to risk dropping the egg if he went airborne. Thus, he took the challenge of getting to Crystal's house on his skateboard.

"Don't worry, Eggy Two," he said, caressing the egg. "Gold's not gonna let Super Serious Gal get her hands on you."

_**To Be Continued...**_

* * *

><p>...<p>

...

...

**NEXT TIME**: She leaned in forward and squinted her eyes, her nose almost touching the Frontier Champion's face.

"Um, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing, its just...you have freakishly long eyelashes."


	3. EMERALD

**DISCLAIMER**: All rights to _Pokémon Special/Adventures_ belong to Hidenori Kusaka, Shōgakukan, The Pokémon Company and all those who've worked hard to bring us this awesome manga. Volume 40, here we come!

**RATING**: T for language, mild crude humor and SHIPPING!

**CHARACTER AGES**: Red (29), Green (29), Blue (30), Yellow (27), Gold (26), Silver (26), Crystal (26), Ruby (25), Sapphire (24), Emerald (24), Diamond (22), Pearl (22), Platinum (22), Black (21), White (21).

**TIME FRAME**: January 8th, 10 years later.

**A/N**: Happy Birthday, Emerald! It's a shame that there aren't more stories about Emerald. That's probably because he's the only Dex Holder without a "mandatory love interest." Hopefully this chapter will come to change that. With that being said, I feel like I should also mention that this chapter will have the inclusion of an original character. Now before you click the back button on your computer, please give me the benefit of the doubt. I personally think this is the best chapter I done so far, but then again, that for you to decide. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong> - EMERALD

* * *

><p><strong><em>(Battle Subway, Gear Station, Nimbasa City, Unova Region)<em>**

...

...

...

When the subway car carrying the Hoenn Dex holder was finally in view, a man sporting a camera around his neck stood up from the bench he was sitting on in excitement. The car came to a stop in front of him, and when the doors opened, Emerald hopped off, smiling at his companion.

"Hey Emerald; so how'd it go?" asked the taller man, giving the blonde a fist-bump. "Did you make it to the Subway boss?"

"Duh!" answered Emerald, holding up his Vs. Recorder for his friend to see. "What do you take me for, Todd? A twenty-round loser?"

"Congrats, dude! You're up to thirty-four battle points!" Todd remarked. "Fourteen more and you can get that Focus Sash."

"Yup!" the Hoenn man replied, as he and Todd were walking back up into the Gear Station's Main Hub. "Kinda sucks you weren't allowed to take any pictures during the battle."

"Aw, its cool. I'm just happy to lend my support. Besides..." The photographer flipped on his camera and showed Emerald the image display. "It gave me the chance to take some sweet pics of Nimbasa City for my portfolio."

"Holy, whack-a-moley, this is one helluva set!" The Frontier Champion exclaimed. "Big Stadium. Rondez-View Ferris Wheel. _A behind-the-scenes look at Pokéwood?_ Boy, was I right hiring you for the reception!"

"You got that right!" Todd grinned. "And since you're my friend, I'll throw in a discount for the glossies."

"Thanks, bro! Just be sure to run that over by Seniors Blue and Green. I'm just here for the mission."

"Right, right. Speaking of which, how's that going so far?"

Emerald pulled his Magic Hand Extender into his sleeve, and after digging for a bit, whipped out a small, folded up piece of paper. "Not so good," he said reluctantly. "I couldn't tell where this letter specifically came from, but by examining some of the dirt on it, it's somewhere in Unova."

"Well, wherever its from, I'm sure you and Crystal can figure it out." Todd assured.

"Tell that to her when we return home tonight, and she finds out I've got nothin'!"

"Take it easy, man," The photographer placed a sympathetic hand on his friend's shoulder. "Sheesh, you act like you two are married, or something."

He received a _very_ dirty look in response. "You know its not like that."

"I'm just saying, for the past thirteen years I've known you, you've never even once shown any interest in a girl. And you're twenty-four years old."

The Hoenn native grumbled and turned his head away from his friend. "So?"

"So..." Todd continued, "That's not natural. I mean if this has anything to do with you being a midget-"

"IT DOESN"T!" Emerald shouted, startling the brunette with the sudden outburst. "I JUST DON'T CARE ABOUT GIRLS, OKAY?"

"Okay, fine!" Todd said, putting his hands up defensively. "No need to get huffy!"

"Sorry." The two friends didn't say another word until they were back at the Main Hub. They took seat on a nearby bench for a small rest, feeling too awkward to make eye contact with each other. After a few seconds, Emerald finally spoke up.

"Todd?"

"Yeah?"

"I gotta take a piss."

Todd groaned and stood up from the bench. "Alright, I'll just meet you back at airport before your flight gets here."

"Great!" said Emerald. "That gives me six hours to earn enough points for that Focus Sash!"

"Um, don't you think that's kinda pushing it?"

"Hey, how else do you expect me to buy a gift?"

"True," Todd stated, throwing his camera over his shoulder. "Well, I guess I'll see you in a few."

"Laters!" Emerald replied, rushing off in search of spot to do his business.

"Don't hook up with any chicks while I'm gone, you stud, you."

"Screw off, Todd!"

The Hoenn man waddled up some nearby stairs, not hearing his friend laughing behind him. He looked back and forth, desperately searching for a window. At the side of the building, he noticed a wide balcony, with tourists enjoying the view.

"Excuse me, coming through!" he yelled, pushing his way through the large crowd. The group of people moved away in disgust, as the young man began to unzip his pants. Emerald sighed in relief, and looked up at the clear sky as his bladder gradually became empty.

_"I don't need a girlfriend! I've been taking care of myself for years! The last thing I need is to end up like-"_

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"

Looking down towards the sudden screaming, Emerald saw a woman right in his line of fire. She was pointing up to him as she violently shook her hair around. "Get down here, you bastard!" she shouted. "I ought to whoop your butt right now!"

The Hoenn man simply stared at her, not really sure what all the commotion was about. He leaped off the balcony and tactfully landed next to the very irritated woman.

"Yo, wassup?" he asked, resting his arms behind his head.

"WASSUP?" she shrieked. "YOU PEED ON MY HEAD, THAT"S WASSUP!"

"Oh...my bad."

"That's all you have to say?" she growled, folding her medium-sleeved arms. "My bad?"

"Well here; let me get that for you." Emerald pulled a Pokéball from out of his sleeve and released his Mantine. "Mantine, use Scald on her hair!"

"Wait, don't-"

Her words were lost in the stream of boiling water that was now drenching her face. Muffled screams of pain were heard instead as her dreadlocks began to scorch from the intense heat.

"Okay, Mantine, that's enough." The Kite Pokémon obeyed its trainer and immediately stopped the move. The woman, soaking wet, pulled out a handheld mirror out of her purse and looked at her hair in horror.

"OH MY GOD! MY HAIR IS BURNT!" she wailed as she pulled out a Pokéball of her own. She held it out, releasing a Bellossom that recoiled in shock at the sight of its distressed trainer. "Hurry Belle! Use your Healer ability to get rid of the burns on my hair!"

Her Bellossom tenderly wrapped its arms around the woman's head and closed its eyes. Waves of green energy started to pulse out of its body and into its trainer. After a few seconds, the burns on her hair began to vanish and her dreadlocks were completely rejuvenated.

"Phew!" she sighed, looking back into her mirror and patting Belle on the head appreciatively. "Thanks, Belle. For a sec, I thought I'd need to get a buzzcut."

"Well, glad that's over with!" Emerald said, turning around to leave. "I guess I'll be going no-"

"Don't even think about it blondie!" she called out, stopping Emerald in his tracks. "Just who do think you are, peeing and burning my hair?"

"Well, I'm Emerald." he replied, turning back at her. "Maybe you've heard of me."

The woman arched in eyebrow in confusion. "Emerald, huh? Ain't you one of them Dex Holders or something?"

"Thats right. Now if you don't mind, I've got business to take ca-what are you doing?" She leaned in forward and squinted her eyes, her nose almost touching the Frontier Champion's face. "Um, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing, its just...you have freakishly long eyelashes."

"Yeah, well...you have green hair."

"And your head looks like a croissant."

"So? Y-you're, uh, wearing cargo pants."

"And what's with the rubber gloves?"

"I...I've got nothin'."

The lady smirked and held out her lightly-tanned hand. "Well, since you owe me for almost mutilating my hair, I might as well introduce myself. Name's Jade."

"Owe you? Owe you _what_?" he asked indignantly.

"I dunno. Dinner by the Rondez-View Ferris Wheel?"

"Um...ok?" he said wearily, shaking her hand. "So, Jade...uh, can I give you an IOU on that favor? I'm kinda busy right now."

"With what?"

"I'm off to the Battle Subway to earn some points for a Focus Sash."

"You like Pokémon battles?" Jade grinned, jumping up and down in excitement. "I _love_ Pokémon battles!"

"For real?" he asked, as the taller woman continued to bounce in place.

"Hellz yeah! I've been going to Battle Subway for years!"

"You ever make it Ingo and Emmet?"

"Well...no," she stopped jumping and rubbed her arm sheepishly. "I've never been able to make it past the seventh round before. Pretty sucky, huh?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Emerald said bluntly. He started to stammer, however, when he realized he had just insulted her. "B-but, hey, y-you can always improve and stuff. Uh...you probably just need someone to train you, you know?"

"You mean someone like _you_?"

"...maybe..." The Hoenn man looked away, trying to hide a faint blush on his cheeks. "If you want, I could take you on the Multi Line...I mean, if you're not busy or something."

"Well, alrightly then!" Jade answered happily, grabbing Emerald's arm running towards the Gear Station. "Let's do it, Em!"

"Em?"

* * *

><p>"Sudowoodo, finish it up with Earthquake!<p>

"Gale, use Helping Hand!"

The subway car shook violently as Sudowoodo's powered up attack caused massive damage to the virtual trainers' Maractus and Stunfisk. The two Pokémon struggled to remain upright before finally going limp.

_"Maractus and Stunfisk are both unable to battle! The winners are challengers Emerald and Jade with their twentieth victory!"_

"SHA-BAM! That's what I'm talking about!" Jade cheered, high-fiving her partner. "Ingo and Emmet, here we come!"

"Jade, that was incredible!" said Emerald, wide-eyed. "I didn't know Gallade could have the Telepathy ability, or even use Helping Hand!"

"Oh, uh...let's just say Gale is a very..._special _Gallade, okay?" Jade moved forward, focused on the subway car ahead of her. "C'mon, Em! One more battle, and that Focus Sash is as good as ours!"

The two battlers stepped into the back of the next car, where they weren't surprised to find Ingo and Emmet waiting for them. The Subway Bosses' faces remained stoic as Emerald and Jade stood before them.

"Well, well," Emmet said, "Seems we've got ourselves a couple's match, eh, Ingo?"

"Indeed. Looks like we're in for good one." Ingo replied as a matter of factly.

"Enough chit-chat!" Jade interrupted. "Bring it, Pinocchios!"

"Very well then," Ingo responded, throwing a Pokéball in the air. "Klinklang, go!

"Galvantula, go!" Emmet said, at the same time.

"Sudowoodo, I choose you!" Emerald cried.

"Gale, let's rock!" Jade exclaimed. The four Pokémon took the field, giving their respective opponents intimidating stares. When the electronic judge gave the call to initiate the battle, Emerald wasted no time giving the first move.

"Let's give them a double knock-out!" he announced. "Sudowoodo, Rock Slide!"

"Right!" Jade nodded. "Gale, use Helping Hand!" Gale grabbed onto Sudowoodo, and channeled a surge of energy into its partner's body. The Imitation Pokémon swung its arms in the air, causing rock formations to appear in the air. They fell towards the opponents' Pokémon, yet Ingo and Emmet remained unfazed.

"Shift Gear." Ingo ordered. Klinklang moved protectively in front of Galvantula and began to rotate its gears. As its attack and speed power increased, the rapid spinning of its body deflected the Rock Slide, leaving them nearly unharmed.

"Damn it," Jade cursed. "Aerial attacks aren't working!"

"Then we'll go underneath," said Emerald, "Use Earthquake!" The violent vibrations of the subway car shook up Ingo and Emmet's Pokémon, as they tried endure the attack. Jade held on to a nearby pole to steady herself, whereas Emerald and her opponents managed to keep their balance.

"Quickly, Galvantula!" Emmet ordered. "Escape by latching onto the side of the car!" In the midst of the earthquake, Galvantula shoot a line of web at the ceiling, then used it to swing over to the wall.

'Now, use Thunder Wave on Sudowoodo!" A stream of blue electricity shot towards the Rock-type, but before it could make contact, the Thunder Wave took a sudden u-turn and headed back towards Galvantula. The EleSpider Pokémon cried out in distress as its entire body became immobile.

"Galvantula, what's wrong?"

"You might need to get your eyes checked, dude."

Emmet looked towards the voice, where he saw Jade smirking at him, as well as a Xatu by Emerald's corner. "You switched in Xatu?"

"You got it, guy," Jade answered. "When Em here used Earthquake, that's when I switched in my Xae. Then when you ordered that there Thunder Wave, Xae's Magic Mirror ability sent it back up your ass!"

"I told you that would work!" said Emerald proudly.

"I must say, that was pretty good..." Ingo said.

"You ain't seen nothing yet! Xae, use U-turn!"

"...but not good enough. Galvantula, Wild Charge!" The two Pokémon charged into each other at a head-on collision, causing the subway car to rumble from the force exerted. Xae fell backward, with Galvantula slamming into the wall across from it, both falling unconscious.

_"Xatu and Galvantula are both unable to battle!"_

"Crap, I thought for sure Xae could take that hit!" Jade groaned.

"That Scope Lens Galvantula had must have screwed you over," said Emerald. "At least the recoil damage knocked it out."

"No more kids' games! Lets rock, Gale!" The Fighting/Psychic type took the field once again, raising its arms up defensively. Across from it, Emmet released his Durant, which crouched down and growled at its opponent.

"Durant, use Iron Head on Sudowoodo!" Emmet commanded. His Pokémon immediately obeyed and leaped towards the Rock-type, its metallic head shimmering in the light.

"Vacuum Wave!" Gale jumped in front of Sudowoodo and spun its arm, creating a miniature cycle around it fist. Durant didn't have time to react as the swirling vacuum shot it back to where it had started.

Emerald smiled at Jade appreciatively. "Thanks for the save, Jade."

"Whatever, Em." Jade replied, smiling back.

"Now, Sudowoodo, use Low Kick on Klinklang!" Sudowoodo charged in for the Steel-type, and swept it foot across Klinklang's bottom. Ingo's Pokémon lost its balance and fell down on its side. "Another Low Kick, Sudowoodo!"

"Klinklang," Ingo ordered. "Use Gear Grind." As Sudowoodo went in for a consecutive attack, Klinklang got back up and caught its foot in its body. As Sudowoodo struggled to free itself, Klinklang rotated its gears, grinding into Sudowoodo's body, who cried out in pain. When the first strike stopped, Sudowoodo hanged down from its opponent, barely keeping its eyes open. The second strike suddenly came, proving too much for the Rock-type to handle. When the full course of the move ended, Sudowoodo slid off of Klinklang's gears, and laid motionless on the floor.

_"Sudowoodo is unable to continue the battle!"_

"Ugh, I was afraid of this." Emerald groaned.

"Afraid of what?" Jade asked.

"I was hoping Sudowoodo's Sturdy ability would allow me to make a comeback with Counter," he explained. "Unfortunately, that doesn't work against multiple strike moves."

Jade gave him a frown. "Shut up, Em. I didn't get this far by joining up with a wuss!"

"You're right!" Emerald agreed, pulling out another Pokéball. "Lets go, Sceptile!" A large, reptilian Pokémon exited the Pokémon, and eagerly faced the other team.

"Its two to three, now," Ingo stated. "The odds are in our favor."

"Nuts to your odds! Sceptile, show Klinklang a taste of your Focus Punch!" Sceptile gritted it teeth as it clenched its claw, focusing all of its energy into a fist. Emmet saw an opening and called out his next attack.

"Now's our chance! Durant, use X-Scissor on Sceptile!"

"Dodge, and attack!" Durant's attack missed entirely as Sceptile leapt agilely out of its path. The Forest Pokémon charged right in for Klinklang and prepared to deliver the punch.

"Volt Switch!" shouted Ingo. The Gear Pokémon rotated its body once again, this time generating a ball of electricity. Right before Sceptile made contact, it sent the electrical orb straight at its face. The sudden attack caused Sceptile to fly backwards into a nearby bench. The Grass-type attempted to get back on its feet, but had gotten its arm caught in between a handrail, unable to escape the large, purple Pokémon that stood above it. "Garbodor, Venoshock!"

"Sceptile, look out!" Emerald cried, unknowingly running up to his Pokémon. A blast of corrosive liquid shot out of Garbodor's fingertips, heading right for Sceptile. Right before the attack landed, however, Emerald jumped into its line of fire, taking the full force of the hit.

Jade screamed. "EMERALD!"

* * *

><p>"...Wha? W-What happened?"<p>

"Yo."

Emerald slowly opened his eyes to the sight of a glowing, tan-skinned face smiling down on him. He yelped in surprise and cautiously backed up against the metal wall.

"Where am I? What's going on? ...Where the hell are my clothes?" he babbled, noticing he was in only his boxers.

Jade gave a slight chuckle. "One, you're in the subway car back to Nimbasa City. Two, you went all unconscious after you got hit by that Venoshock attack. And three..." she pulled out his Magic Hand Extenders and platform shoes from behind her back. "...you're clothes got dissolved, so that's why you're half-naked."

The Hoenn Man sighed in relief, before another thought crossed his mind. "Wait, what about Sceptile?"

"Don't worry, hon, your Sceptile is just fine. So's your Sudowoodo." The green-haired woman presented him with two Pokéballs. "I put them in the recovery machine before we left."

"Thanks goodness," he sighed, retrieving his Pokéballs and taking a seat on the bench. "Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't I be, you know...dead?"

"Actually yes." she replied. "You're just lucky that my Gale knows Heal Pulse."

"Oh, well...thanks, for...you know, saving my life, and whatever."

"No problem, Em." Jade said, her smile glowing with admiration. "You know, that was a pretty badass thing you did back there. I've never seen someone do something so stupid, yet so right at the same time."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, most trainers wouldn't go the extra mile like you did."

"Would you?"

"Yeah, but..." she faced the floor, trying not to make eye contact. "I was never allowed to have Pokémon in the first place. My dad thinks trainers are a menace to society, they treat Pokémon like slaves, or some other bull."

"Your dad sounds like a jerk." Emerald remarked. "No offense."

"Ah', its cool." she replied. "He was actually a decent guy. When I was kid, he gave me Tepig, saying that its dream was to be a battler. He told me that if anyone could make that happen, it'd be me. After that, he sort of...disappeared."

"I know how that feels."

"For real?" she asked, skeptically.

"Totally," Emerald answered, as Jade turned to look at him. "I never knew my parents, so I never really knew how they wanted me to turn out. I just hope they'd be happy with how I am today."

"Parents," Jade scoffed, though smiling. "They're always giving you hell, even when they're not around."

The two battlers laughed at each other, enjoying the each others' company over the sound of the railroad tracks. As their laughter subsided, Jade asked a question that made Emerald turn scarlet red.

"Soooo," she began, "You're a midget?"

"I-I wasn't trying to be all secretive o-or nothin'!" Emerald blurted out. "I mean, I-I didn't want you to think, like, that I was some kind of weirdo. N-not that you look like the kind of girl that would think that! It's just-"

"Chillax, dude," Jade laughed. "I ain't got any problem with you being a midget. In fact, I like short guys. They're sexy."

Emerald froze, not sure whether to feel glad or terrified that he was still alive. He sank into his seat, his face still red with embarrassment. Jade realized how uncomfortable she was making him, and raised in eyebrow.

"Boy, you act like you've never talked to a girl before. No one ever called you sexy before?"

"Cute. Yes. Sexy. No."

"Come on, don't be like that," she teased, punching his shoulder playfully. "Here, I got something that'll cheer you up."

Emerald turned his head slowly, afraid to look at Jade in the eye. The blush on his cheeks disappeared though, when she held up his Vs. Seeker.

"No way!" he exclaimed. "I got fifty battle points! But how?"

"Ingo and Emmet felt that what you did was worth more than any victory. So they decided to award you with those last ten points."

"Nice! Now I can buy him that Focus Sash!"

"Wait, its not for you?"

"No, it's for a friend of mine," Emerald explained. "I was planning to buy a Focus Sash as a gift for-CRAP, THE LETTER!"

"What letter?" she asked, as the Frontier Champion stood up in fear.

"I brought a letter with me that I was suppose to investigate! It was the real reason I even came here!"

"Oh, you mean this one?" Jade pulled out a folded up sheet from out of her pocket. "Its weird, 'cause it didn't get burned from the attack. It's like polymerized titanium or something."

"Oh, thanks, Jade!" Emerald said. He embraced her in a hug, which made her cheeks turn a shade of pink. "You have no idea how important this is."

"Uh, don't sweat it," She released herself from the hug and tried to cover her face with her hands. "But I'm confused. How come whoever sent it is threatening to kill you?"

"No clue. I'm supposed to go back to Hoenn tonight with a friend of mine so I can figure this out."

"You're...leaving?"

"Um, yeah...yeah, I am."

The train's horn blared, signaling that they were about to reach its intended destination. Emerald grabbed his belongings and waited at the door until the train made a full stop. He glanced back at Jade, who was grinning softly at him.

"Bye, Em." Jade spoke, her voice almost inaudible.

"Bye, Jade."

The front doors of the train opened up, revealing the drop-off area of the Gear Station. A conductor outside stood patiently outside, waiting to depart the subway's two passengers. "Are you coming off, sir?"

Emerald looked back a Jade for a couple of seconds before turning back to the conductor. "Excuse me, where is this train heading for next?"

"Well, this is its last run for the day, so it'll be going to the amusement park as public transportation."

Emerald stood motionless at the door before a light smile grew on face. He quickly thanked the conductor and took a seat on the subway's bench next to Jade.

"So, where's that Ferris Wheel again?"

_**To Be Continued...**_

* * *

><p>...<p>

...

...

**NEXT TIME**: "Um, I don't know about this, Pearl."

"Hey, I don't like this any better than you do, Dia." he replied, bitterly. "Just follow my lead, keep up with the pace of the music, and don't step on my toes."


	4. DIAMOND and PEARL

**DISCLAIMER**: All rights to _Pokémon Special/Adventures_ belong to Hidenori Kusaka, Shōgakukan, The Pokémon Company and all those who've worked hard to bring us this awesome manga. What are they gonna name the guys for Black 2 and White 2?

**RATING**: T for language, mild crude humor and SHIPPING!

**CHARACTER AGES**: Red (29), Green (29), Blue (30), Yellow (27), Gold (26), Silver (26), Crystal (26), Ruby (25), Sapphire (24), Emerald (24), Diamond (22), Pearl (22), Platinum (22), Black (21), White (21).

**TIME FRAME**: January 8th, 10 years later.

**A/N**: I really did not expect this to be so long. It's seems to happen a lot where the chapters that are the least planned out end up being the longest. Not sure why, but I'm totally cool with it. Now, I _was_ going to wait to read the latest volume, so that I'd have more material to reference, but I realized that'd take much too long. Also, I edited the part involving the mysterious letter in the last scene of chapter 3, 'cause I realized I kinda half-assed it. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong> - DIAMOND and PEARL

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Ribbon Syndicate, Resort Area, Battle Zone, Sinnoh Region)<strong>_

...

...

..._**  
><strong>_

_"Speaking of _Pokémon_..."_

_"...Speaking of _Pokémon,"_  
><em>

__"You can give your __Pokémon__ their very own nickname!"  
><em>_

__"You don't say?"  
><em>_

__"You betcha! For instance, I named my Chatot 'Chattler'. What about you?'  
><em>_

__"My Munchlax's nickname is "Lax"."  
><em>_

__"Doesn't seem very original."  
><em>_

__"...Okay then; Maybe I should change it to 'Munch.'"  
><em>_

__"That's not any better! *Smack*"  
><em>_

__"Ow...maybe 'Mate', like, as in friend?  
><em>_

__"I guess...but you know, a trainer should also choose a nickname that matches their __Pokémon__!"  
><em>_

__"You don't say..."  
><em>_

__"Hell yeah! I mean, imagine if I nicknamed my Infernape, 'Cutie Patootie'. 'Cutie Patootie, use Flare Blitz?' Lame."  
><em>_

__"Let me try..."Mate, use Lick!"  
><em>_

__"You pervert! *Smack*"  
><em>_

__"Ow...I think I should change its nickname back to 'Lax.'"  
><em>_

__"No problem! All you have to do is go to the Name Rater in Eterna City, and he'll change your __Pokémon__'s nickname for you, free of charge!"  
><em>_

__"...Can't I just change the nickname myself?"  
><em>_

__"Absolutely not! You have to make it official!"  
><em>_

__"Aw, why not? I don't wanna go all the way to Eterna City!  
><em>_

__"Because if it were as easy as just saying, 'I, PEARL, OFFICIALLY BESTOW UPON YOUR MUNCHLAX THE NICKNAME LAX!', then that would just be stupid!"  
><em>_

__"Oh, I guess that makes sense..."  
><em>_

__"Of course it makes sense! Now go to the Name Rater this instant!"  
><em>_

__"Fine..."  
><em>_

"And that's all we got so far. What do you think?"_  
><em>

He didn't get a fast response, as their only audience was too busy laughing and clutching her stomach to give them a straight answer. Once she was finally able to settle down, she clapped her hands in approval.

"That was truly the funniest performance you've ever done, Pearl!" she laughed, wiping off a tear. "You and Dia are certain to win the grand prize at tonight's show!"

"Gee, Lady, you really think so?" Diamond asked, modestly.

"But of course!" she replied. "And Dia, I've asked you before to please address me as "Platinum"."

"Sorry, La-I mean, _Platinum."_

"You know Platinum, it was pretty cool of you to get us this gig," Pearl remarked, walking off the stage. "But do you really think that these frou-frou, high-class socialites are gonna appreciate are cheap comedy routine?"

"But of course!" she answered confidently, turning around to reach her bag. "After all, I'm technically a socialite, and I love your routine! So by association, they should enjoy it as well."

"Yeah, but they might actually have _taste_." Pearl muttered under his breath.

"Come again?"

"I-I said that you taste good!" he blurted out, without thinking. The young heiress stared confusedly at her companion whereas Diamond simply blinked in surprise.

"Oh, um, thank you...I suppose." Platinum said, smiling politely before turning to Diamond. "Now Dia, are you certain that you want to provide the cake? I'd be more than happy to order one myself."

"It's no problem, really." Diamond insisted. "Blue can't argue when it comes to my cooking. Plus, a day this special deserves the best, right?"

"Well, if Senior Blue is okay with it, then so am I," she stated, taking a quick glance at her Pokétch. "Well, my lunch date with White is in about two hours, so I really must get going. Pearl-"

"You don't even have to say it," The blonde man turned to his Chatot who was hovering by his side. "Chattler, I need you to fly Platinum over to the Hotel Grand Lake. You think you can make the trip?"

_"Hotel Grand Lake! Hotel Grand Lake!"_ Chattler squawked, perching itself onto Platinum's head.

"Thanks, you two!" The young woman wrapped her arms around her two friends, and gave them both pecks on the cheeks. "I shall be back later tonight, okay?"

"Uh, yeah," Pearl replied uneasily. "Dia?"

"Mmhmm." Diamond mumbled, his face turning red.

Platinum continued to smile, as if their reactions were typical behavior for them. "Alright then, um, I shall see you later, Feraligatrs!"

As she walked out the theater doors, she attempted, and failed, to flash a peace sign towards her two friends. The two comedians, amused, waved backed until she was gone, then sat down to pack their bags as well. Pearl, done in under a minute, looked curiously at Diamond, who he noticed was taking longer then usual to finish up.

"'Eh, Dia!" he shouted.

"Hmm?"

"Something buggin' ya, man?"

"Oh, uh, its nothing, really." he answered, gradually picking up the pace. Pearl could easily tell he was lying but chose not to push the subject, at least for now.

"Well, hurry up, cause I'm hungry. And if _I'm_ hungry, then you must be _starv__ing_!"

"Well, where do you want to have lunch?" Diamond asked, though without his usual hunger-induced excitement.

"I know just the place!"

* * *

><p>"Pearl, how can we afford this place?"<p>

"Hey, I'm the Battle Tycoon's son!" he replied, proudly. "My dad got me an all-expenses paid coupon, so everything's free!"

Diamond took a long sip out of his champagne glass of Sprite Zero, as he stared wearily out the window. Pearl took note of his odd behavior, but dismissed it once their waiter had arrived with their meals.

"One 12 oz, well-done Filet Mignon, sauteed in imported Aprijuice, and a side of Torkoal-roasted vegetable medley drizzled in a Rabuta Berry sauce for you..." Pearl licked his lips as the plate was set in front of him.

"...and Fish and Chips for you." Diamond stared blankly at his dish, looking somewhat unsatisfied. "Enjoy your meal."

Pearl took his knife and began cutting his steak up as if it were rice paper. As he stuffed bite after bite into his mouth, almost forgetting to chew, he looked over at Diamond, whose food was barely touched.

"Wha aresh ihou eatshish?" Pearl asked.

"I'm not very hungry." Pearl punched his chest repeatedly, trying the dislodge a piece of meat that he was suddenly choking on.

"Alright, that's it!" he cried, slamming his fist on the table. "What's going on with you?"

Diamond backed up into his chair in surprise. "Wha-what do you mean?"

"Don't give me any of that!" he shouted, as he started counting off his fingers. "You've been totally distracted lately, you act slower than usual, and now you're not even eating!"

"So?" Diamond responded, with a shocking hint on indignity.

"Dia...Diamond, please," Pearl reached across the table and placed a hand on Diamond's shoulder. "You're my best friend. I can't stand seeing you like this. Now, what's eatin' at you?"

Diamond lowered his head, his eyes focused on his food than his long-time friend. "Platinum."

"What about Platinum?" Pearl asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Do you like her, Pearl?" The normally hotheaded man was taken aback by the sudden question, and immediately began shoving his face again.

"Well, of course I like her," he chuckled, his words muffled from the chewing. "She's our friend."

"I mean do you _like_ like her?" Diamond paused, as Pearl struggled to swallow. "You've been acting really awkward around her lately, and you've been eating a lot more too."

"Boy, nothing gets past you, huh?"

"Well..." Pearl crossed his arms, trying to appear confident and composed.

"I mean, maybe as a _kid_ I had a little crush on her, b-but that's all water under the bridge now!"

"Really?"

Pearl sighed, unable to look Diamond in the eyes. "Honestly...I don't know." he admitted. "I like her..._a lot._ But, I don't know if I like us _together, _like, as a couple, you know?"

"Wow," was all Diamond said.

"Yeah, 'wow'." Pearl groaned, slamming his forehead on the table. "I'm pathetic, right?"

"No, I mean, 'Wow' as in..." The slower man took another slight pause. "I...like her, too."

"WHAT?" Pearl screamed, jerking his head up.

"I like her too," Diamond repeated. "At least...I think I do."

"Why's that?"

"Well, if Platinum and I ended up together...where would that leave _you_?"

Pearl shuffled in his seat as he searched for an answer. "Right..."

"I mean think about it," Diamond continued. "Would you and I still be a duo? Are you going to be a third wheel? Or are we just gonna be the trio we've always been?"

"And if Platinum and I got together, then all those questions fall on _your_ shoulders, Dia."

"Aw, crap," Diamond groaned. "What are we going to do about this, Pearl?"

"I'll tell you what we're going to do!" Pearl exclaimed, slamming his fist on the table again. "We're going to forget about it!"

"Huh?"

"At least for now," he added. "Look, we've got a show to do tonight, and we won't be able to perform if we can't think straight."

"Well, we can't just...stop thinking about it." Diamond said.

"True. We're going to need something to keep us busy until tonight...but what?"

"Excuse me, sir?" Pearl snapped out his thoughts at the voice of their waiter, who was standing next to them. "Would you like you're check now?"

"Oh yeah, sure," he replied, whipping out a small slip of paper. "Just put it on this coupon."

The waiter took the slip from him and gave it long look, his face scrunching up in confusion. "Sir?'

"Hmm?"

"This is a coupon for a free dancing instruction being held by the Johto Region's Kimono Sisters at the local Sinnoh Dance Hall."

"Say wha?"

"This coupon is invalid."

Pearl started to sweat. "Oh, well...the thing is, w-we...kinda, um-"

"We can't afford this place." Diamond finished.

"Then how do you propose to pay for your meal?"

...

...

...

"...How about we cut a deal?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Sinnoh Dance<strong>** Hall****)**_

"Okay class, before we begin, make sure to allow adequate dancing space between you and the other couples."

Everyone did as told, and moved around until they were sure they weren't invading anyone else's space.

"Alright, now please select two of your Pokémon to accompany you for the instruction."

Various types of Pokémon were released onto the dance floor, most of them either bipedal or smaller than their trainers.

"Great! Now, my sisters Miki and Naoko will demonstrate the basic holding position. Sisters?" Kuni moved off to the side, allowing her sisters to take over.

"Now class, the stance that you will be using is as followed," Miki instructed, grabbing on to Naoko. "For the leads, you link your partner's right hand with your left and raise it as so."

"Then," Naoko continued. "Place your right hand on your partner's back, leaving your elbow out at a forty-degree angle."

"Good! Now, all the leads, Pokémon included, take one step forward with your left-"

"ARGH! DAMN IT, DIA! YOUR STEPPED ON MY FOOT!"

"Sorry, Pearl!" Diamond apologized. "Oh, and by the way, everyone's looking at us.

Pearl turned his head sheepishly towards the staring couples. "Sorry, everyone!" he yelled. "Please, carry on!"

"Thank you," Miki replied back. "Now, as I was saying, the lead should take..."

Diamond awkwardly moved his legs, trying to follow the rhythm. "Um, I don't know about this, Pearl."

"Hey, I don't like this any better than you do, Dia." he replied, bitterly. "Just follow my lead, keep up with the pace of the music, and don't step on my toes."

The slighty shorter man gave a nod, and took a step to the right. Surprisingly, he was able to follow Pearl's tempo, and eventually, the two were completely in sync.

So...Dia," Pearl started, vaguely listening to the dancing instructions. "You're uh, pretty good at this."

"Hmm?" Dia mumbled. "Oh, thanks."

The blonde man sighed, shaking his head knowingly. "You're still thinking of Platinum, aren't you?"

"...Yeah. You?"

"Uh-huh," Pearl took another step, almost tripping on his feet. "But you know what's really annoying me?"

"What?"

"That I never knew _you_ felt the same way!"

"Pearl, you're not...mad that I like her, are you?" Diamond asked tentatively.

"Of course not," he said sternly. "That'd be selfish of me. Its just that we're best friends, so I really should have seen it all along."

Diamond lowered his head, partly to watch his dancing, but mostly because he was thinking of how to respond. "Do you think..." he muttered. "_She_ could like us, like, in that way?"

"Good question," Pearl remarked. "Sadly, I don't have an answer for it."

"How about we-"

_"Float Floatzel!"_ The two men looked down at their side, seeing Pearl's Floatzel holding its foot and yelping angrily at Diamond's Munchlax. The former was scratching its head confusedly as the other couples turned to watch.

"Hey, cool it!" Pearl chided. "You two are making a scene!"

_"Munch?" _mumbled Lax, before attempting to do a spin around its partner. It lost control, however, and toppled over on top of Floatzel. Growling in frustration, the Water-type threw the heavier Pokémon off of itself and launched a Swift attack at its face.

"Floatler, stop!" Pearl pulled out its Pokéball, but before he could make a move, his Pokémon was chasing Lax across the room, trying to land another attack.

"Lax, don't-" Diamond started. But it was too late, as Lax starting knocking over various tables and vases in a frantic attempt to escape Floatler. The majority of the crowd moved away in fright, while some gave the two trainers glaring daggers.

"Trainers, please get control over your Pokémon!" Sayo cried.

"What the hell does it look like I'm doing?" Pearl yelled, running after his Pokémon. He tried desperately to recall Floatler back to its Pokéball, but couldn't aim, due its quick turns and twists. "No good! Dia, you got any bright ideas?"

He waited for an answer, but only heard the sound of another Pokéball. Pearl turned around to find Diamond's Torterra standing behind him.

_"Dia-Mach-One-and-Only Razor Leaf!" _Half-way through the order, Pearl ducked his head as a flash of green shot out of Tru's back. The lightning-fast leaf zipped right in between Floatler and Lax, causing them both to freeze from the sheer intensity of the move. The leaf then crashed into a large window, instantly shattering it. While everyone was momentarily stunned, Pearl took this time to recall Floatler to its Pokéball.

"Good job, Tru." Dia said, patting his Grass-type. "And Lax, that twirl needed a bit more balance."

"Um, Dia?"

"Yeah, Pearl?"

"I think we're in trouble."

Both men looked around, taking in all that had just occured. The entire room was in ruins, and there were shards of glass all over the floor. Everyone was glaring angrily at them, and the Kimono Sisters were walking up to them in contempt.

'Uh..." Diamond nervously pulled out two Pokéballs. "Its..._Poké~~aayy_?"

* * *

><p><em>2 hours later...<em>

"Thanks for cleaning up the mess, you two. Would you care for some lemonade?"

"Yes, _please_!" Zuki giggled as Pearl moaned in his chair, and headed off into the concession area.

"I think I may have dislocated my ass." Diamond grunted as he plopped himself on the table. He lifted up his head to find Pearl's Infernape carrying a heavy looking table over its shoulder. "Pearl, where does the table go?"

"Just put it next to that wall, Chimler." The Flame Pokémon nodded and set it carefully on its bottom. Fixing up the room had taken longer than Diamond and Pearl had expected, and Chimler was their only Pokémon dexterous enough to handle the delicate repairs. Needless to say, they were exhausted.

"Finally, we're done!" Pearl proclaimed.

"I can't feel my funny bone." Diamond chuckled.

"Dia, that joke is so freakin' old, man!" Pearl groaned, standing up to stretch his muscles. "You better not pull any of that during...CRAP!"

"What!" Dia shouted, jumping up in surprise.

"The contest!" screamed Pearl, looking at his Pokétch. "We're supposed to go on in..._thirty minutes_!"

"But its a forty-five minute walk back to the Ribbon Syndicate!" Pearl's face went pale, and without a second to spare, grabbed Diamond by the arm, and scrambled out the front door, with Chimler following close behind.

"Here you go boys! Fresh lemonade for all your hard...work?" Zuki looked around, finding the room completely empty, with no sign of the two Dex Holders. "Gee...I hope they remembered to take the rental cars they borrowed."

* * *

><p>The audience in the theater room was getting excited, and their commotion was making it very difficult for Platinum to listen on her Pokétch via the Call application.<p>

"Platinum, you you there?" Pearl's voice asked through the speaker.

"Pearl, where have you and Diamond gone?" Platinum whispered, not wanting the audience to hear. "The next act is about to begin, and your performance is to proceed right after!"

"We...kinda got held up. But don't worry! We're on our way back!"

"Please hurry; I may be unable to cover for you if you do not arrive on time." The young heiress hung up and sighed, with Chattler resting on her head.

_"Hurry, Hurry!" _it squawked worriedly.

"Do not fret, Chattler. I am sure that Diamond and Pearl will not let me down."

* * *

><p>"What'd she say?"<p>

"She says we're on right after the next act!"

"Aw, shoot!" Diamond stopped running, trying to catch his breath. "This...is...taking...too...long."

"Yeah," Pearl agreed, stopping as well. "We gotta find a short-cut, or some transportation, or something!"

They looked around, but seeing as they were on a fairly empty street at near dusk, they couldn't find anything that would be of use to them. Suddenly Diamond pointed to the left, at a collection of trees.

"How about that forest?" he inquired. "Maybe if we cut through it, it'll lead us to the Syndicate."

"Hold on, let me check." Reaching into his bag, Pearl whipped out a crumpled up Town Map and moved his eyes towards the Battle Zone area. "You're right! Judging by the map, it should could cut our time by about ten minutes or so."

"Sweet! We better get going then!"

* * *

><p><em>"We are The Koffing! One, two, a-one, two, three, four!"<em>

The band on stage played a heavy beat as the lead singer was jamming crazily on her guitar. "My, this Roxie character sure has a unique taste in musical composition, hmm?"

"Yes, she certainly does." answered Platinum, forcing a chuckle for the older woman. _"Oh, Diamond...Pearl...where in heavens are you?"_

* * *

><p>"Seriously, Dia?" Pearl cried, looking behind him as he ran. "You really gotta set your priorites, man."<em><br>_

"Hey," he replied, stuffing his face with a RageCandyBar. "Ah' godd'ta ke'p ma sren'th up!"

"Well, you're gonna end up puking your guts out, so-DAMMIT!" Pearl's reply was cut short by a large root poking from the ground. With a painful cry, the blonde man dropped like a sack of bricks, his foot still caught in the root.

"Pearl!" Diamond rushed to his friend and carefully dislodged his foot from the root. "You, okay?"

"Yeah, I just-Gah!" he grunted, attempting to stand upright only to be caught in Diamond's arms. "Alright, I'm not okay. I think I sprained my ankle."

"We better get you to a hospital."

"The hell with the hospital! We gotta get back for the show!"

Diamond frowned, though Pearl couldn't see over his shoulder. "There's no way we'll make in time in this condition."

"Sure we can," Pearl retorted. "C'mon, Dia. We've faced Dialga and Palkia under the control of a madman. I think I handle an ankle sprain."

"...Alright. But I hope you don't expect me to carry you for a mile and a half."

"'Course not. Just-_argh_! Think of something different."

Looking around him, Diamond took note of all the trees before a smile grew on his face. "I have an idea."

With his free hand, he pulled out and activated a Pokéball, releasing his Lickilicky into the clearing. The large, pink Pokémon gave a grunt of concern, seeing his trainer and his best friend in a troubled state.

"Dia, what are you doing?"

"This." he replied, turning to his Pokémon. "Tung, I need you to give me and Pearl I ride back to the Ribbon Syndicate." Tung nodded, and turned its back to the humans, allowing Diamond to lift his injured friend and himself onto its shoulder.

"W-what's going on?" Pearl said, nervously.

"Let's go!"

Without a second to spare, Tung wrapped its elongated tongue around a nearby tree branch. Then, swinging like an acrobat, the Licking Pokémon threw itself over the branch in a circle, released its tongue, and wrapped it onto the next branch. It repeated the process and before long, the two Dex Holder's and their Pokémon were traveling at twice the speed they were orginally going.

"We're. Making. Great. Time!" Diamond cried, his voice udgulating with the spins. "And. It's. Fun. Right. Pearl?"

_"AS IF!"_

* * *

><p><em>"Goodnight, Sinnoh!"<br>_

The audience lightly clapped as each of the band members took a bow. Done for the night, Roxie and her band gathered up their equipment and stepped off the platform. The announcer then took the stage and grabbed the microphone, ready to introduce the next performance.

"For our final act of the night, we have a very special treat for our audience. World-renowned as two of the infamous Pokédex Holders, they are also known locally for their manzai routine. So, without further ado, let's give a warm welcome for Sinnoh's own comedic duo, Diamond and Pearl!"

Another round of applause ensued, but slowly died down when nobody came up to the stage. The audience murmured amongst itself, concerned with why the two Dex Holders had not shown up.

"Where are your friends?" the same woman asked Platinum.

"That is precisely what I would like to know." she answered.

* * *

><p>"Pearl. I. Can. See. The. Building. We're. Gonna. Make. It!"<p>

"Thats. Great. So. Can. We. Stop. Now?"

"Sure. Tung. You. Can. Stop. Now." Diamond waited for his Pokémon to land on the ground, but when that didn't happen, he started to worry. "Tung?"

He looked at Tung's face, which appeared very disoriented, showing a complete lost of control. Unknowingly, the large Pokémon wrapped its tongue onto a streetlight and leaped twenty feet into the air.

"This. Is. Not. Good."

* * *

><p>"Um, it appears that our final act is nowhere to be found." The audience grew restless, giving out words of disappointment and anger. Platinum shrunk in her seat in defeat as she heard the announcer.<p>

_"How could they do this? To them? To Me? Perhaps I should have known better than to become their manager."_

"Well, I am sorry to say that this constitutes as a forfeit. As of right now, Diamond and Pearl are officially disqua-"

"INCOMING!"

Everyone turned to the screaming, which came from the right side of the building. The moment they did, a large formation of blue, orange, and pink came smashing through the window, sending glass everywhere. The entire room cried out in shock as the formation crash landed onto the stage, revealing two young men and a Pokémon.

"Diamond? Pearl?" Platinum exclaimed, rising to her feet.

"Hey, Plat..." Pearl answered groggily.

"Wassup?" asked Diamond.

"Ahem, it appears that our final performers have chosen to appear in a more...unorthodox manner," the announcer declared, straightening his tie. "Well, I for one am not one to deprive an audience of a well-deserved show. It is my pleasure to introduce...DIAMOND AND PEARL!"

The audience cheered with delight, as the two comedians stood up and waved. Pearl supported himself on Diamond's shoulder, both of which had their eyes directed at Platinum, who was cheering the loudest.

"Good evening, everyone! I'm Pearl!"

"And I'm Diamond!"

"And this is Tung!" they both finished. The pink Pokémon happily licked their faces, causing the audience to howl with laughter. Feigning annoyance, the two men wiped their faces and proceed with their routine."

_"Speaking of Pokémon..."_

_"...Speaking of Pokémon,"_

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Backstage)<strong>  
><em>

"That was an amazing show, tonight." Platinum said, holding a check in her hands. "You two truly deserve this prize money."

"Yeah," Pearl agreed, carefully putting his foot in a bucket of ice. "Too bad we won't be able to use any of it."

"Why is that?"

"Well, if we subtract Pearl's expensive-ass meal, the broken window at the Sinnoh Dance Hall, _and_ the broken window on this building, I believe we're left with...two dollars and thirteen cents."

Diamond chuckled when Pearl and Platinum gave him disbelieving looks. "I like math."

"You know, I'd be more than happy to pay that off myself." Platinum pointed out.

"Nah," Pearl argued, waving his hand dismissively. "We can't let you do that. What kind of clients would we be if we let our manager bail us out of our responsibilities?"

"I see," she said, before deciding to change the subject. "So...exactly what have you two been doing all day?"

The two comedians looked at each other and blushed, before Diamond spoke up. "Oh, uh, you know...guy stuff."

"And you? What did you and White talk about at lunch today?" Pearl asked.

Blushing just as her companions did, Platinum turned her face away. "Um, just...girl stuff, and whatnot."

She received confused looks from her friends, but before they could pry her with more questions, a young woman dressed in a punk-like outfit came through the door, carrying three envelopes.

"Evening, Roxie," greeted Platinum, thankful someone had interrupted them. "Your performance tonight was without a doubt spectacular."

"Thanks, girl," she said, dropping the small stack onto the coffee table. "Your boys here got some fan-mail, so I figured I'd drop by and deliver 'em."

"Gee, thanks, Roxie." said Diamond.

"Ain't no trouble at all." She turned and headed back out the door. "But you guys must have some pretty looney fans, though. These letters are like, hard as hell."

The whole room suddenly became silent, with all three Dex Holders looking at each other in anxiety. Pearl was the first to react, and snatched the envelope addressed to him, followed by Platinum and Diamond. They each tore open the seal, and pulled out what appeared to be a paper-thin sheet of steel, engraved with writing.

Platinum looked up in distress. "We must call Senior Crystal immediately."

_**To Be Continued...**_

* * *

><p>...<p>

...

...

**NEXT TIME**: Taking her first step into her house, Crystal yawned and headed for her living room, having every intention to fall asleep on the couch. Upon entering, she suddenly had the vague feeling that her home had been recently entered, but she was far too tired to look into it. When she flipped on the switch, every ounce of drowsiness instantly left her body, and she clutched her heart in pure terror.

"OH MY G-"


	5. CRYSTAL

**DISCLAIMER**: All rights to _Pokémon Special/Adventures_ belong to Hidenori Kusaka, Shōgakukan, The Pokémon Company and all those who've worked hard to bring us this awesome manga. [Insert witty comment here].

**RATING**: T for language, mild crude humor and SHIPPING!

**CHARACTER AGES**: Red (29), Green (29), Blue (30), Yellow (27), Gold (26), Silver (26), Crystal (26), Ruby (25), Sapphire (24), Emerald (24), Diamond (22), Pearl (22), Platinum (22), Black (21), White (21).

**TIME FRAME**: January 8th, 10 years later.

**A/N**: Sorry this took so long! I had massive case of writer's block, especially now since I'm starting college in a few weeks. It's hard to write Crystal's character because most of her personality stems from her interactions with other characters. Hopefully I did her justice. Also, I had a lot of fun creating "Pokémon" brand names for this chapter. Now go grab a bucket of Olivine Redenbacher's and a Fresh Water. Here's Crystal!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong> - CRYSTAL

* * *

><p><strong><em>(Nimbasa Airlines, Nimbasa City, Unova Region) <em>**

...

...

...

"Emerald! Where are you?" the pig-tailed woman yelled into her Pokégear. "The plane's going to leave in fifteen minutes!"

Todd leaned over her shoulder to speak as well. "Dude, if you didn't get the Focus Sash, its cool!" he assured. "Just get him something else!"

_"It's not that."_ he answered back.

"Then _what_?" said the woman, rubbing the temples on her forehead. "And it better be good."

_"Y'know...I gotta investigate the letters, and stuff."_

"That's not good enough!" she retorted. "You can't just take over Silver and Black's job like this! Your job was just to find out what material they came from. "

_"Well, I haven't figured it out yet, Crystal. So it only makes sense that I stay, right?"_

"What do you think?" Todd asked her.

Crystal pulled on her face and heaved a sigh before speaking into the microphone. "Emerald...you really don't have to do this."

_"Yes I do! If I don't, I'll never be able to show my face to Seniors Blue and Green ever again!"_

"I think you're overreacting a bit," she said. "But if you want to stay here, I guess I'm in no position to stop you, am I?" _  
><em>

_"Sorry, Crystal. I would have called earlier but I was a little...out for a while."_

"Don't worry about it. Just call Silver on your Pokégear and tell him you'll be staying longer than-"_  
><em>

_"Um, about that...my Pokégear's busted."_

"What?" Crystal gasped. "How?"_  
><em>

_"...Its a long story."_

The Catcher groaned as she rubbed her forehead for the eighth time that day. "Wait!" she suddenly realized. "Then how are you calling me?"_  
><em>

"_From my X-transceiver, that's how! Yo, Em, who ya callin', anyways?"_

Sounds of a woman giggling and Emerald trying to silence it filled up the line, causing Crystal and Todd to look at each other in confusion.

"Uh, Emerald," Todd began hesitantly. "Who's that?"

_"Just some crazy fan who wants my-HEY!"_ The second voice took over, sounding very annoyed.

_"Say what? Boy, you're lucky we're on a roller coaster, 'cause otherwise I'd throw your ass over the-"_

"Excuse me," Crystal interrupted. "Who is this?'

_"My apologies, ma'am. Name's Jade, and am I to assume that this is Crystal, the world famous capture specialist?"_

"Uh, yes." she replied, taken aback at her knowledge. "I'm sorry, uh, _Jade_ is it? But would you mind putting Emerald back on the phone?"

_"No can do ma'am. Em and I are too busy sharing some ravioli under the beautiful night sky, fifty feet in the air."_

"I beg your pardon?"

_"GIMME THAT!"_ Emerald's voice boomed over the microphone, followed by some nervous chuckling. _"Hey, guys, wassup?"_

"Emerald are...are you on a _date_?" asked Todd in disbelief. _  
><em>

_"No! Listen, could you guys do me solid and call Silver for me? My hands are kinda full at the moment."_

Crystal mentally sighed before answering him. "Sure, no problem."

_"Thanks, Crystal!"_

"And Emerald..."_  
><em>

_"Hmm?"_

"Don't listen to Gold, okay? Treat her nice." She hung up her Pokégear and turned to Todd, who was looking more surprised than she was. _  
><em>

"Can you believe this?" he said with wide eyes. "I mean, don't get me wrong. Emerald's a great guy, but still..."

"She must really be something, huh?" Crystal asked, giving out a yawn.

"Yeah." Todd glanced at the overhead flight schedule and adjusted the strap over his shoulder. "I guess I better get going now. My flight's probably boarding already."

"'Kay, then. See in you in a couple weeks."

"You too," he said, shaking Crystal's hand. "Just be sure you get some sleep until then."

She chuckled embarrassingly as Todd walked off, heading for the east gate. Looking behind her, Crystal saw several tourists filing in to board the plane heading for Goldenrod City, and quickly ran over to get in line.

...

_"Well, do you got it?"_

_"Almost...just gotta move this here...rewire the wireless adapter, and...there! I think we're good to go!"  
><em>

_"Alright, everyone, cross your fingers." Crystal nervously pulled down the lever as the other scientists waited anxiously in response. A few seconds past before they heard a beep, followed by a second beep. Suddenly, the CPU started to hum as the the monitor lit up an image of a large, rotating _Poké_ball.  
><em>

_The whole room broke out in cheers and applause, except Crystal, who could only sigh with relief. She smiled to the older man next to her, who shook her arm appreciatively.  
><em>

_"Thank you so much miss Crystal!" he said, cheekily. "I knew Professor Oak wouldn't let me down when he sent you over here."  
><em>

_"I really can't take all the credit, Professor Park." she said, modestly. "I learned all I know about how this machine works from Bill."  
><em>

_"Speaking of Bill," interrupted a young woman with swirly brunette hair. "I just got off the phone with him. As of right now, the Kanto _Poké_transfer system is officially up and running!"  
><em>

_Professor Park shouted in excitement and raised his hands in the air. "This calls for champagne!"  
><em>

_Everyone cheered as the professor led them out into the commons. Once there, he ordered one of his assistants to retrieve their drinks from the pantry, as everyone else took a seat at the table. The assistant poured their drinks before taking the last seat, and Professor Park raised his glass in the air. _

_"A toast to Crystal. Thanks to her, trainers from around the world are once again free to use our service."_

_"To Crystal!" The whole table cheered their glasses and took a drink. While most of the scientists talked amongst themselves, Professor Park and his acquaintance, Professor Juniper, focused on Crystal, who for some reason was being unusually quiet.  
><em>

_"What's wrong, Crystal?" Professor Park inquired, noticing her glass was still full. "Don't you like Brunello di Shuckle?"  
><em>

_"Oh, um, I was just being polite," she said respectfully. "I really don't drink."  
><em>

_The old man gave out a hearty laugh. "I should have expected," he grinned. "Professor Oak did say you were a 'good girl', after all."  
><em>

_She returned the smile, though what he said had actually surprised him. Before Crystal could press the issue, she felt a soft hand on her shoulder.  
><em>

_"Yes, Professor Juniper?" she asked, turning her head to the older woman.  
><em>

_"I know its really none of my business," she began, her words already worrying the Dex Holder. "but I just wanted to ask, how have you been doing lately with your capturing?"  
><em>

_Crystal felt her face turn red, and forced herself to look down at her drink. "To be honest...unproductive."  
><em>

_"Why's that?"  
><em>

_"Eh.." Crystal muttered. "Things have been kinda hectic lately. I spend most of my time now working at Professor Oak's lab, especially now since, well...you know, with everything that's been happening..."  
><em>

_"I see."  
><em>

_"Also," she continued, surprised that she kept talking. "I just...haven't been motivated to do anymore capturing. I've already caught pretty much every species there is, so I don't really know what else there is to do now."  
><em>

_"How long ago was your latest capture?"  
><em>

_Crystal paused, pretending to count the numbers in her head. "After a week from today, exactly one year ago."  
><em>

_Professor Juniper didn't respond right away, which troubled the pigtailed Dex Holder.__  
><em>

_"I know, I know," she blathered. "I'm sorry. I really should be staying in shape, and I realize I'm just wasting my talents, but with the __Poké__dex completed, and never having any time to go out, I...I just can't. And then there's Gold..and the New Year's Eve party-"  
><em>

_"It's okay."  
><em>

_She stopped. "It...it is?"  
><em>

_"Of course," the professor said, with an light smile. "Look, sweetie, if capturing __Poké__mon isn't doing anything for you anymore, then you shouldn't force yourself into thinking it should."  
><em>

_"But...I still like capturing," she insisted. "It just doesn't have that...rush anymore."  
><em>

_"I understand," Professor Juniper placed a hand on the young woman's shoulder, while digging into her lab coat with her other. "But I think I have something that may interest you."  
><em>

_"What's that?"  
><em>

_"Something that just might get you out of your capturing funk." She gave Crystal a playful wink, while placing a small object in the Dex Holder's hands. "I usually don't do this, mind you, but you seem like someone who could use this to its full potential."  
><em>

_Crystal stared blankly at the object in hands, trying to determine what it was. "I don't...I don't know what to say."  
><em>

_"Don't worry about it. Just remember that whether you're a capture specialist or a stuffy lab assistant, you'll always be Crystal of Violet City."  
><em>

_...  
><em>

**_(Johto Region)_**

"All passengers please buckle up for landing."_  
><em>

Crystal snapped her eyes open and looked around her. She felt the aircraft tilt forward, and saw the other passengers strap on their harnesses. She immediately caught on to the situation and did the same, grasping the handrails as the plane skidded across the runway.

The terminal was completely packed, with trainers and tourists moving in every direction. Although she had trouble navigating through the crowd, Crystal managed to get to the baggage claim relatively fast. She found her belongs, and with the help of her Monlee, carried them out the door.

It only took a few minutes to find a taxi, and by then, midnight had struck. Crystal limped into the backseat, and rested her head against the soft leather, as the taxicab drove off into the clearing.

...

_"Exactly, why do I have to do this?" Gold asked, laying himself across the bed._

_"I told you, like, six times already!" __Crystal groaned, as she placed a few shirts in her luggage._

_"That's not my usual eight."  
><em>

_She gritted her teeth as she slammed her suitcase shut. "I'm going to the Unova Region tomorrow, and I need someone to watch Megaree while I'm gone."  
><em>

_"Can't you just take him with you?" he asked, sitting up.  
><em>

_"The Pokemon Storage System is down again." she explained. "I can only take whoever's already on my team, and I'd prefer not leave Megaree in storage for five days."  
><em>

_"And you want me of all people to do it because..." Gold started.  
><em>

_"Because everyone else is too busy having responsibilities," Crystal finished, emphasizing the last word.  
><em>

_"Hey, I got a job now!" he defended.  
><em>

_"It's only for a few days. You'll survive." she stated, moving her suitcase against the wall. "And besides, you owe me after what happened."  
><em>

_Gold suddenly jumped to his feet. "You still on that? I told you, I was only trying to get you to loosen up! I didn't plan for it to go that far!"  
><em>

_"That doesn't mean it wasn't your fault!" she proclaimed, her anger rising. "If you hadn't spiked the Soda Pop, it never would've-"  
><em>

_"I just wanted everyone to have a good time, damn it!" he interrupted. "Is that so hard to understand?"  
><em>

_"Yes, it is." Crystal sighed, placing a hand on her forehead. "I'm sorry Gold, I..I know you weren't trying to take advantage of me."  
><em>

_"I'm sorry too, I guess." Gold looked away, trying not to appear too emotional. "Listen, Crys...I'll watch over Megaree while you're gone. You just concentrate on fixing up that ___Poké___mon transferring whatchamacallit, okay?"  
><em>

_"Okay," Crystal replied, facing away from him. "But when I get back, you and I are gonna have a long talk about this RING RING RING..."  
><em>

_...  
><em>

Crystal stretched out her muscles and gave out yawn. She pulled her Pokégear from out of her bag and cleared her throat before speaking into it.

"Hello?"

_"Senior Crystal?"_ came a troubled voice on the other line. _"It is Platinum. I am sorry to disturb you so late at night, but I am afraid I have something of the utmost importance to tell you."_

"What's going on?" Crystal asked, now at full attention.

_"Diamond, Pearl, and I have received our letters."_

"Crap," she cursed under her breath. "Are they any different than the others?"

_"No, other than having our names addressed, they are completely the same."_

"Okay, well, at least we know that whoever sent them doesn't have any personal vendetta against you." Crystal said with a sigh.

_"Yes, but...there's something else."_

All the uneasiness came right back. "What?"

_"These letters were sent directly to us at the Ribbon Syndicate, and not our homes. It's as if they knew exactly of our whereabouts."_

Crystal could sense the fear in the younger woman's tone, and softened her voice. "Platinum, honey, everything's going to be fine."

_"But Senior, we must do something. It frustrates me that this person is completely in control and we have no way of stopping him or her."_

"I know, I feel the same way." Crystal replied. "But we have to be strong. This guy wants to scare us, but we can't let him, right?"

_"...right."_

"Atta girl," she beamed. "Now, I'll be sure to tell Silver about this as soon as I can. In the meantime, look into your library and try to determine what type of metal the letters are composed of."_  
><em>

_"I shall not let you down!"_

Crystal grinned at her junior's ambition. The two girls then said their goodbyes just as the taxicab was about pull into Crystal's driveway. The driver helped bring out her suitcase from the truck as Crystal stepped out of the vehicle. She thanked the man and paid him the cab fare before walking over to the front door._  
><em>

Taking her first step into her house, Crystal yawned and headed for her living room, having every intention to fall asleep on the couch. Upon entering, she suddenly had the vague feeling that her home had been recently entered, but she was far too tired to look into it. When she flipped on the switch, every ounce of drowsiness instantly left her body, and she clutched her heart in pure terror.

"OH MY G-"

"Welcome home, Super Sexy Gal."

The color was instantly drained from Crystal's face, which scrunched up in disgust at the horrific sight in her living room. Gold was laying across her sofa in nothing but his boxers, posing seductively in response to Crystal's reaction. A tray of desserts was arranged on the coffee table, and mood music played from a conveniently placed sound system.

"So," Gold sweet-talked, popping a mint in his mouth. "How was your mini-vacay?"

He was answered by a small cushion smacking him in the face. Momentarily stunned by the impact, he fell off couch and landed hard on the floor. The startled Dex Holder brought himself up and adjusted his eyes to an unamused figure standing before him.

"Gold, I'm seriously not in the mood," Crystal groaned, switching off the the music. "It's late, I've had a long day, and frankly, I just want to get the hell to sleep."

"Aw c'mon, Crys! I even brought out your favorite drink," Gold whined, offering her a wine glass from the table. "My special blend of Moomoo Milk and herbal tea."

"Oh, no!" she hastily replied, pushing it away. "The last time I took a drink from you, I ended up waking up on Senior Red's coffee table."

"Hey, not my fault you like to get hot when you're drunk."

Crystal folded her arms as Gold gave out a laugh. "Alright, what'd you do this time?"

"What do you mean?"

"The only time you pull this disgusting stunt is when you majority screwed something up."

"Now I am offended, Crystal." Gold made a big show of appearing innocent. "Can't a man just give a nice welcoming gesture for his girlfriend without being accused of having ulterior motives?"

Crystal rolled her tired eyes and walked over to the couch. "You know what, Gold? I'm seriously not in the mood to deal with you right now. Whatever it is you did will just have to wait until morning."

"Fine," Gold casually walked away, as she rested her head on a pillow. "I can take care of Megaree's child all by myself anyway. Maybe I can take it to an all-nighter at the Game Corner."

"What?" Crystal yelled, jerking her head back up. "Child?"

Gold let a smirk stretch across his face. "Well, egg, technically. What do think I should name it? 'Sunbo Two'? Or is that too obvious? Maybe something more hardcore, like, 'Sunny Boy'. Then again, it might be a girl, so-"

"Hold it!" Crystal ran in front of the man and crossed her arms. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just that while you were gone, Megaree and Sunbo decided to have a little fun. The next thing I knew, we got ourselves a Sunkern egg."

"How long ago did this happen?" Crystal asked, staring him down.

"Just a few hours ago." Gold forced on a big grin and patted her on the shoulder. "But don't you worry, Super Serious Gal. Uncle Gold promises to take good care of it for you."

"Wait...what do mean 'for you'?"

"Well, obviously I'm going to be its owner." he answered as a matter of factly. "Not like there's anyone else to do it."

"Hello?" said Crystal, angrily. "What about _me_?"

Gold shrugged his shoulders and turned back into the living room. "No offense, Crys, but I just don't think your cut out for child care."

A laugh was choked out of Crystal mouth. "Oh, really?"

"Think about it for a sec." Gold sat down on the couch as he continued. "You've never taken care of a Pokémon egg before. I have. You catch Pokémon, and I breed them. You're boring, I'm cool. Need I say more?"

"Okay," The female Dex Holder started, walking over to him. "First of all, you've taken care of an egg _twice. _Second, just because you can hatch Pokémon, doesn't mean you can raise them. And lastly, you're a reckless, irresponsible idiot."

"All I'm saying is that between us, I'm the more qualified parent." he retorted, stretching his arms across the furniture.

"Qualified?" Crystal shrieked and laughed at the same time. "And the number one caretaker at Earl's Pokémon Academy isn't?"

"Well...yeah."

"You know what?" she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "I don't have time for this! Where's the egg?"

"In the kitch'." Gold replied, jerking his thumb in said direction.

Crystal grumbled to herself as she made her way into the next room. "Honestly, of all the times to get me worked up, why did it have be one in the...Gold?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you put the egg on the counter top?"

"Yeah, why?"

"It's gone."

Gold instantly scrambled to his feet and rushed in after her. He turned his head to the counter, expecting to see a green Pokémon egg. All he saw was an empty brown basket and a crinkled up blanket.

"Where the hell did it go?" he screamed, grabbing the basket. "It was right here, I swear!"

"Okay, just calm down," Crystal said, more so to herself than to Gold. "You put it on the counter, and then what did you do?"

He put the basket down and started to count off the following events in his head. "I went to the pantry to make some treats. Then I headed upstairs to get your boom box. After that, I brewed up your drink and waited in the living room."

"I don't see how any of that could have-" she pinched her nose, her sense of smell suddenly processing the kitchen. "Damn! Something smells absolutely horrible!"

'Hmm? Oh, my bad." the goggled Dex Holder replied sheepishly. "I kinda spilled some Azalea Merlot on the floor while I was making your drink."

"You _were _trying to get me drunk!"

"Sorry," Gold chuckled nervously. "After I dropped it, I figured cleaning it up and opening a window would be enough to hide the stink. Guess not."

"Wait...you opened a window?"

"Uh-huh, so?" Gold blinked before his eyes widened in realization. The two Johto Dex Holders turned their heads to the open window, where the wind was blowing into the house from the backyard.

"Let's go!" Crystal shouted, rushing to the backdoor with Gold behind her. She stepped outside, her eyes slowly adjusting to the nearly pitch-black night sky.

"You see the egg?" asked Gold, surveying the area.

"No, not ye-THERE!" Gold looked in the direction she was pointing, which was right at her large oak tree. He squinted his eyes, barely making out a small dark figure nestling in the branches.

"Is that a Murkrow?"

"Yeah, and look at what its got." Gold focused in on the nest, seeing just what he was expecting.

"That freakin' bird jacked my egg!" he growled, reaching behind his back, only to mentally slap himself when his hand came back empty-hand. "Crap! I left my pool cue inside the house!"

"I'll handle this," insisted Crystal, pulling out a Pokéball. " Go, Chumee!"

She gave the Pokéball a swift kick towards the tree, but instead of going towards the branches like she hoped, it released Chumee right at its center, causing her to crash right into the trunk.

"Sorry, Chumee!"

"Looks like you're starting to get a little rusty, huh?" Gold sneered.

"Shut up! Now Chumee, use Mean Look!" Two dark rays flashed out of her Smoochum's eyes, directed right at the now angry Murkrow. "Now, use Sing!"

Before Chumee could open its mouth to execute the move, the wild Murkrow suddenly flapped its wings, unleashing a strong wind across the yard. The move knocked Chumee off its feet, sending it flying straight back into its Pokéball.

"It knows Whirlwind?" Gold cried in disbelief. The Murkrow squawked mockingly at the two humans and flew back into its nest. It grasped the Pokémon egg in its talons and started to fly off into the sky. "It's gonna get away!"

"Oh no its not!"

Crystal whipped out a Dusk Ball and placed it evenly on the yard. Placing her feet firmly on the ground, she locked her eyes on the barely visible Murkrow, and with a might yell, kicked the Ball straight into the air, leaving a smoldering tread on the grass. Within the same second the Ball had left the ground, it made contact with the Murkrow, absorbing the Pokémon right inside.

"Crystal, the egg!" Reacting quickly to Gold's outburst, she pulled out another Pokéball gave it a spinning kick in mid-air.

"Xatee, Psychic!" Upon exiting the Pokéball, Crystal's Xatu glowed a light blue, and the Pokémon egg as well as the captured Murkrow were enveloped in a veil of the same color. Xatee then directed both of them safely into its trainer's arms.

"Good job, Xatee." Crystal thanked, returning it to its Pokéball.

"Man, that was close!" Gold heaved, clutching his chest. "It's a good thing we got here in time, huh?"

Crystal shot him a dirty look, immediately shutting him up. "You didn't do a thing! In fact, it was your fault all of this even happened!"

"I know, I know...I'm sorry." Gold extended out his hand, and put on a face of, what Crystal could tell, honest sympathy. "I seriously messed up, tonight, didn't I? Forgive me?"

"As always," Crystal grinned, shaking his hand. "Why do I always forgive you?'

"Because you love me." Gold wrapped an arm over Crystal's shoulders, causing her to shake her head in embarrassment. "C'mon, lets go back inside. I got a pillow and couch with your name on it."

"That sounds so nice right now." she answered. "But on one condition."

"What's that?"

"Put on some damn clothes before your boxers give me nightmares!"

The two Johto Dex Holders broke out in laughter, and with the Pokémon egg in safe hands, walked tiredly into Crystal's house.

_**To Be Continued...**_

* * *

><p>...<p>

...

...

**NEXT TIME:** "It not that, its just that...you hate lace."

Sapphire bared her teeth. "If dis is what it takes, then I'm gonna do it! Besides, dere's no way Ruby can say 'no' ta this!"


End file.
